


For Whom the Bell Tolls

by bubblygal92



Series: Celestial Love [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-10 21:59:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 54
Words: 150,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubblygal92/pseuds/bubblygal92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Still reeling from the recent events on Gallifrey, the Doctor and his companions find themselves in one adventure after another. Guardians of Time, the Key to Time and interfering Time Lords are just the beginning. Add in a parallel world, and old and new friends, it's bound to be an interesting ride. Sequel to 'Nothing Else Matters' and second in the 'Celestial Love' Verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Quest: Lost

Rory Williams opened his eyes slowly, the heaviness in his head almost making him drowsy again. It took him a moment to realise that the heaviness was different from a usual hangover. Come to think of it, he didn't even remember drinking.

He forced his eyes open and tried to move only to have pain shoot up through the back of his neck. He groaned internally when he realised that he had a crick in his neck from lying down in a weird position for a long time. The ground beneath him was cool, hard and unfamiliar.

Sighing, he tried to remember if he had been thrown in a prison cell but his brain seemed far too woolly to make any sense. He steeled himself and propped up into a seating position, wincing as nearly all the muscles of his back cracked painfully. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with a disgusted grimace. What the hell had happened?

Now that he was sitting, he realised that wherever he was, it was dark. Not pitch black so that he couldn't see, but more like there was a dim overhead light that cast a weak light around him. He considered shouting for help, when he realised that he wasn't alone.

Just a few feet away from where he had been lying moments before, was a figure with a mass of blonde obscuring their face. He quickly crawled over to them and turned them over. It was Rose.

"Rose," he said, moving her hair away from her face. He checked her pulse and realised that it was fine but she was still out cold. He caught sight of her clothes and a memory flashed through his mind.

_"19th century London," announced the Doctor triumphantly. "1892 to be precise."_

_"Maybe we'll meet Sherlock Holmes," Rose remarked cheekily as she adjusted the cloak around her shoulders. "It will be very easy to even faint in his presence considering the clothes I'm wearing."_

_Rory and the Doctor had laughed but Rory did think that she looked a bit out of breath because of the tight Victorian gown._

_"What are we laughing about?" asked Amy as she came out into the console room. Like Rose, she was wearing a dark Victorian gown though it was slightly more daring than what Rose was wearing. Rory averted his gaze hastily, trying not to let her see his blush._

_"Put your hair up, Captain," said the Doctor dryly as he started the landing sequence. "You do not want to cause a scandal."_

_Amy made a face but started to put her red hair into a respectable bun. Rose came over and adjusted Rory's cravat. "Suits you," she smiled._

_"Thanks," said Rory, adjusting the dark blue cravat that went with the Victorian attire he was dressed in._

He put his hand to his neck and found the cravat gone though he was still wearing the rest of his Victorian clothes. He tried calling to Rose again and she opened her eyes slowly, moaning in pain.

"Rose, it's okay," he said, helping her sit up. "It's Rory."

"Rory," she said slowly, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Rose frowned at the odd question but racked her brains.

_"So, 1892? Victorian times then?" Amy asked her as she and Rose went towards the wardrobe room to find appropriate clothes._

_Rose shrugged noncommittally as she pushed open the wardrobe room door and led the way inside. "Over there," she pointed._

_Amy looked slightly out of her depth as she picked up the different Victorian layers and looked at them like they would jump up and attack her. Rose watched her quietly for a moment before sighing. "I'll help you," she offered._

_"Thanks," said Amy. "Look, I know we got off to a wrong start..."_

_"It's fine," said Rose quickly. "We really don't have to turn this into a bonding sisterhood session."_

_Amy nodded and looked away quickly. After a moment of quiet wherein Rose gathered different pieces of Victorian layers and started laying out two of each on a long table, Amy lost her patience. "Do you have a problem with me travelling with you or something?" she demanded._

_Rose looked slightly startled at her outburst before composing herself. "I don't have a problem," she said. "Start putting those on in the order that I laid them out," she told her._

_Amy grumbled under her breath as she took off her shirt and undergarments and tossed them off. She was halfway done undoing her trousers when she heard Rose squeak. "What now?" Amy asked._

_Rose had her eyes closed. "Some modesty, please," she said. She cautiously opened one eye, keeping her gaze on her face._

_"I'm from the 52nd century," said Amy, stepping out of her trousers and tossing them away. "I can walk around like this public. Well, I would catch a cold or something but that's all."_

_"Right," said Rose, finally opening her eyes yet looking everywhere but right at her. "Put those on so that I can lace up your corset."_

_Amy nodded and watched as Rose went behind a screen to get dressed in her clothes. When she stepped out, she had a corset hanging loosely on her body over layers of Victorian undergarment that Amy was currently trying to figure out. "How do you know all of this?" Amy asked her finally, holding up something that looked like a very short white lace jumpsuit._

_Rose gave a small chuckle. "It's my planet's history," she said. "And I had a bit of a thing for Austen's writing. Didn't you have any work in this era when you were a Time Agent?"_

_"I mostly worked around the 36th and 38th century," Amy confessed as Rose took the thing she was holding up (which was a combined chemise and drawers) and helped her into it. "With a sprinkled bit of late 21st and early 22nd century."_

_Rose made a hum of acknowledgment as she got Amy dressed in the many layers before picking up the expensive looking lace and silk corset. "Hold on to that post," she told her. Amy looked confused but held on. Rose quickly walked up behind her and started lacing up the corset. "Deep breath in and hold it," Rose instructed._

_Amy did as she was told and Rose began tightening the corset. Amy could hardly breathe but when Rose declared her done, she exhaled in relief and found that it wasn't as uncomfortable as it had been while it was being laced up._

_"You'll need to do it for me too," said Rose. "It's easy enough."_

_Amy wasn't quite as sure but after fumbling for a few seconds, she got the rhythm right. She was concentrating so deeply on her work that she jumped slightly when Rose spoke softly. "I meant it when I said that I don't have a problem with you travelling with us," she said quietly. "I doubt we'll be best friends immediately but I'm glad to have another female presence on board. The Doctor and Rory can drive me up the wall sometimes."_

_Amy chuckled as she finished lacing up Rose's corset. "I can imagine," she said. "My team was all male too. Drove me barmy sometimes."_

_"Do you miss them?" Rose asked as she turned around._

_"No," said Amy. "Besides with the Daleks' interference now gone, who knows where or when they are. We had a good run but I guess I was just waiting for something better to come along."_

_Rose nodded. "I know the feeling," she said. "Now, usually we would wear a bustle but we are going to cheat and wear a dress that has a built-in one."_

_"I like this one," said Amy, holding up a deep blue one._

_Rose nodded as she picked up a green one. "I'll help you into it," and then smiled her first genuine smile at the Captain._

"Uh, Amy and I getting dressed," Rose answered to Rory. "Where is she? And the Doctor, for that matter?"

"I don't know," said Rory. "Can you stand?"

Rose nodded and took his offered hand to stand up. "Where are we, do you think?" she asked.

"It definitely isn't 1892 London," said Rory. "This floor looks too futuristic."

Rose glanced at her feet and realised he was right. "Do you have a match or a torch or something? We need more light if we are going to look for the Doctor and Amy," she said.

Rory searched through his pockets and found a small lighter. Rose raised her eyebrows at it. "It must have already been in the coat," he said, at once. "You know I don't smoke."

Rose nodded but still gave him a stern look. Rory flicked it open and tried to get it alight. It took three tries before a long purple flame erupted from it that was nearly a foot long. "Okay, now I believe it isn't yours," said Rose with a giggle when Rory nearly dropped it in his surprise. "That is definitely alien."

Rory had hardly heard Rose's laugh. He held up the tall flame in front of him and moved it around to get a look of their surroundings. "Rose," he said finally. "Remember when I said that this looked a bit futuristic?"

"Yeah, what of it?" asked Rose.

Rory held the light near one of the walls and Rose's eyes widened. They were in a corridor. A very familiar corridor. "You see?" he asked.

"Yes," said Rose. "We're inside the TARDIS."

~

"Captain? Can you hear me?"

Amy tried to raise a hand to swat away the voice but found that she couldn't move it. Panic rose up in her chest and she jumped up from her place on the floor, only to stumble and nearly fall. It took her a moment to realise that someone had steadied her and prevented her from falling and possibly injuring herself.

She blinked quickly and a man's face swam into focus. It was the Doctor.

"Ah, there we are," he said, gently letting her go. "Deep breaths in and out."

"What happened?" Amy asked, feeling her heart beating madly in her chest from her recent fright. Or was it because of the frightfully tight Victorian clothing that she was still wearing?

"That is a very good question," said the Doctor as he sat down on the floor, crossing his legs as he did. "And one that I don't have the answer to. I do hate not having answers to questions," he said, sounding like a mournful child.

"Doctor," said Amy. "Where are we?"

"In the TARDIS, of course," he said as if she was mad.

"Right," said Amy and tried to look around but the light was too dim. Then, she remembered a small flare that she had tucked into her garter belt. She slipped a hand under her dress much to the Doctor's astonishment, and pulled out the flare.

"Is that a Lyonian flare?" he asked.

"Yes," said Amy as she turned it on. Immediately, they were surrounded by a bright yellow light.

"Dare I ask where you were hiding that?" asked the Doctor.

Instead of answering, Amy winked at him. "Do you really want to know, Doc?" she asked in her best flirty voice.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows before chuckling. "52nd century, I almost forgot," he said. "And do refrain from calling me 'Doc'."

Amy didn't take it personally that he was unaffected by her flirting. He was a Time Lord, which was a technically asexual species according to the official records. Even if they hadn't been, the Doctor clearly had a preference for the blonde Earth girl that he travelled with. Despite her time period where everyone flirted as naturally as breathing, trying to break up a couple or adultery was frowned upon. People would rather ask their lovers to join them with their spouse rather than cheat on them but that was a different matter entirely.

She cleared her throat. "So, if we are in the TARDIS, why was I unconscious? And where are Rose and Rory?" she asked.

The Doctor sighed and Amy saw that he was worried. "I don't know where they were. I was unconscious as well but I awoke before you," he confessed. "We are in the TARDIS but I am uncertain as to which part we are in or how we got here."

"But it's your ship," said Amy. "How big can it really be?"

"Time and relativity, Captain," said the Doctor, rolling his eyes. "Time and relativity. It can be as big or as small as the relative dimensions allow it to be."

"What about your telepathic connection?" Amy asked as the Doctor stood up and offered her a hand. "I have read that a Time Lord's imprint is on his capsule's briode nebuliser."

"You are correct," said the Doctor as they let the flare's light guide their way through the corridor. 

"Yet my connection to the TARDIS has been muted. Like interference on a radio."

"What could do that?" asked Amy with a gasp.

She saw the Doctor's jaw clench in anger. "I don't know but I intend to find out. Come along, Pond."


	2. The Quest: Red

_Previously_

_"Rose," he said finally. "Remember when I said that this looked a bit futuristic?"_

_"Yeah, what of it?" asked Rose._

_Rory held the light near one of the walls and Rose's eyes widened. They were in a corridor. A very familiar corridor. "You see?" he asked._

_"Yes," said Rose. "We're inside the TARDIS."_

"67 bottles of beer on the wall..." sang Rory under his breath as Rose marked the door that they had just come with a cross made from her lipstick.

"Stop singing that stupid song," snapped Rose as she put away her rapidly diminishing tube of lipstick. "It's catchy and annoying."

"You got a better idea?" he asked. "I started at 200 bottles and I'm now getting a headache. Plus, my feet ache because we have been walking for what feels like hours."

"Your feet hurt?" asked Rose angrily. "Trying walking about in heels."

Rory made a face as they made their way through yet another dark corridor. "66 bottles of beer on the wall, 66 bottle of beer..."

"...take one down, drink it down. 65 bottle of beer..." Rose joined in as she marked the next door.

~

_"I have read that a Time Lord's imprint is on his capsule's briode nebuliser."_

_"You are correct," said the Doctor as they let the flare's light guide their way through the corridor._

_"Yet my connection to the TARDIS has been muted. Like interference on a radio."_

_"What could do that?" asked Amy with a gasp._

_She saw the Doctor's jaw clench in anger. "I don't know but I intend to find out. Come along, Pond."_

"Pond?" asked Amy with a smile as they wandered through the maze of corridors.

"Well it's your last name isn't it?" asked the Doctor. "I don't much like military terms, so calling you 'Captain' is getting old."

"I do have a name, you know," she said.

"Ah yes, Amelia," he nodded. "Like a name in a fairytale. Yet you choose to be called Amy."

"Rory gave me that name," she said, hoping that he couldn't see her blush in the dark. "Never had a nickname before so I thought I would keep it."

The Doctor hid his smile. "Well, that's a good reason as any to keep a name," he said.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Amy sighed. "You really ought to get this place signposted," she said. "How long have we been walking?"

"Forty three minutes," he answered shortly. He stopped suddenly and touched the door in front of them. Amy moved closer to him and saw that the door bore a cross drawn in red. She was about to ask what it was when the Doctor put his nose to the door and sniffed it quickly. Then, to her enormous surprise, he gave it a quick lick. "Hmm, Red Passion," he said.

"You know lipstick shades?" asked Amy before she could help it.

The Doctor snorted as he opened the door. "Hardly," he said. "It's Rose's."

~

"43 bottles of beer on the wall, 43 bottles of beer..." sang Rose and Rory in perfect harmony. 

"Take them dow..." they both stopped when they felt a cold breeze at their backs. They turned around only to find that there was a wall there now.

"What the hell?" muttered Rory.

Rose tapped the wall with her knuckles. "It's solid," she said and then shook her head. "The corridors have been moving, it seems."

"So we're the idiots going round and round in circles for hours?" asked Rory as he sat down, leaning against the wall. "Just perfect," he said bitterly.

Rose sat down next to him and sighed. "This is ridiculous. Why are we trapped inside the TARDIS?" she asked.

Rory opened his mouth to answer only to be cut off by a loud roar that raised the hairs on their arms. He met Rose's equally horrified gaze. "What was that?" he asked in a whisper.

The roar was louder this time and Rose and Rory jumped to their feet. "It came from down there," she said, pointing straight ahead which was the only way they could go now that there was a wall at their backs.

"Right okay," said Rory as he took Rose's hand and they began to move down the corridor cautiously.

It was silent now and the only sounds they could hear were their own muted footsteps and breathing. They were walking for about five minutes when they came across a door. Unlike the plain white doors that they had encountered so far, this was a pair of dark red double doors set in a gothic archway.

The roar sounded again and the two of them jumped slightly. The roar had definitely come from the beyond the doors. They exchanged a look before pulling the double doors open. They had been expecting to encounter a ferocious beast ready to tear them apart. What they did see was a courtroom.

"What the hell?" murmured Rory as he and Rose slowly entered the room. It was a wide circular room, surrounded by long, Grecian columns. A woman wearing a plain white toga sat at the head atop a high throne and it was plain to see that she was the judge or the closest equivalent to whatever this trial was.

To her right, in a raised gallery were a group of 12 men dressed in white. While not as regal as the judge, they were still holding themselves importantly. The man on trial was standing in the middle of the room, being gazed down upon by what was clearly the judge and the jury. A group of three vulgarly dressed women were standing at the throne's foot, hissing angrily and pointing at the accused.

"Silence!" the judge ordered imperiously and the three women fell silent but continued to glare at the accused. "The proceedings shall now begin. Who brings the charge?"

"We do! The furies do!" the three women cackled in harsh voices.

Rose and Rory glanced at each other in confusion. No one seemed to have noticed their presence; it was as if they were observing a film yet everything seemed solid enough.

"And what is the charge?" asked the judge calmly, raising a perfect brow.

"Matricide," cackled the furies. "Orestes murdered his mother! And the punishment for this heinous crime shall be nothing but death!"

"I decide what punishment should be doled out," said the judge coolly and the furies fell silent at once. "Orestes," she said, looking at the accused. "What do you say to these charges?"

The accused, Orestes, gave a deep bow towards her. "My dear lady Athena," he said in a calm voice. "It is true that I have killed my mother. But I only did so because I was instructed to do so."

Rory and Rose gasped. Athena? Orestes? They had walked right in the middle of Greek mythology. They stayed frozen, unsure about what to do.

"You were instructed?" asked Athena. "By whom?"

Orestes turned and pointed right at Rory. "He did!" he said. "Lord Apollo told me to kill my mother."

At first, Rory thought he was pointing to someone behind him but it was quickly clear that Orestes meant him. "What?" he asked incredulously. "I didn't tell him to kill anyone. And I'm not Apollo. Rose, tell them!"

There was no reply and he turned to look at Rose, only to find her staring straight ahead of her, unmoving and unseeing. "Rose?" he touched her shoulder but it had no effect. It was like she had been frozen in time.

"Apollo!" called Athena in a commanding tone. "Enter the court."

Rory tried again to call to Rose but she remained as still as a statue. Giving up, he walked into the courtroom slowly. Orestes beamed at him as he entered and Rory felt his gut churn. What the hell was going on?

"We would like to hear what you have to say for yourself, Apollo," said Athena calmly. "Did you instruct Orestes to kill his mother?"

Rory paused to think his answer through. He wasn't exactly clear on this legend; he knew Roman stories better than the Greek ones for obvious reasons. While he knew who Orestes was, he really did not remember this part of the mythology.

He took a deep breath. "I did not instruct him to kill his mother," he said clearly.

There was whispering from the jury which went silent when Athena turned her cool gaze on them. The furies were jeering in happiness.

Orestes was gazing at Rory with a betrayed expression on his face. "What?" asked Orestes, aghast. "But you said. You promised!"

"What did he promise?" asked Athena.

"Why does it matter?" asked one of the furies. "Orestes is merely trying to run from his crime. Let us kill him for it!"

"Silence!" Athena ordered. She turned to Orestes. "Have you been lying to the court, Orestes?"

"My lady Athena, I haven't been lying to the court," said Orestes earnestly. "I do not know why Lord Apollo is turning on his word."

"Apollo?" asked Athena.

Rory took a deep breath. "I would never ask anyone to kill their own mother," he said honestly. Screw the faux scene of a Greek tragedy; there was no way he could support someone who killed their own mother only because a supposed god told them to do it. He missed his mother everyday and he had lived far too long without her. And Orestes had taken his mother's life. Rory was all for leaving him at the mercy of the furies.

"He lies!" yelled Orestes, madness gathering in his eyes. "He said that a mother is not a true kin."

"How is your own mother not your true kin?" demanded Rory angrily, glaring at Orestes. "She gave birth to you. You share the same blood."

"I have my father's blood not my mother's," snapped Orestes. "She was merely a container; a vessel to nurture my father's seed in."

"A container?!" Rory exploded. "You complete arse! She was your mother. You are a part of her. She cared enough to let you come into this world and you dismiss her as some sort of an object? How dare you?!" Rory saw red and he clenched his fist to punch Orestes but before he could, everything around him went still.

He looked around quickly but the whole scene had frozen up just like Rose. He heard a single person clapping slowly and he turned in the direction. His mouth fell open as he saw a woman so beautiful that she couldn't possibly be real, literally floating towards him.

She had long red hair that brushed the ground as she walked and she was wearing a flowing red gown. Her eyes were a uniquely amber colour and her arms and wrist were adorned with ruby studded gold jewellery.

"Well done," she said, smiling at Rory. "Well done, Rory Williams."

"Who are you?" he asked, completely in awe of this unearthly beauty.

"I am a Guardian of Time," she answered. "More specifically, the Red Guardian. The Guardian of Justice and Truth."

"Right," said Rory, eyes still wide. "So, this was what? A test?"

"Correct," she smiled. "A test to see if you knew the importance of truth and justice."

"And I passed?" asked Rory, just to make sure.

"With flying colours," she beamed. "You looked like you were about to hit Orestes. While I would have quite loved to see it, I had to stop it."

"Did Orestes get punished?" he asked curiously.

The Red Guardian sighed. "No," she said. "The real Apollo did defend him. He drew on the fact that Athena was born from her father's forehead rather than from a mother which meant that a mother was an unessential part of a child's life."

"That's ridiculous," snapped Rory.

"That's ephemerals for you," she said. "I will never quite understand you all."

"But what's it all for?" asked Rory. "You trapped us in the TARDIS and gave me a test. Why?"

The Red Guardian smiled. "You shall know in time," she promised. "For now, revel in the pleasure of passing your test, Rory Williams."

With that, she vanished into thin air, taking the courtroom and all its occupants with her. Rory turned around and saw Rose stirring as if waking up from a dream. It took a moment for her to focus and she gasped and ran to Rory. "Rory, what happened?" she asked.

In a quiet voice filled with awe, he explained about the Red Guardian and the test of justice and truth. Rose listened in silence and when he was done, she gave him a hug. "You did well, Rory," she said.

"But that is not what happened in history," he said. "Had this been real, I would have messed up history."

"I think that was the real test," said Rose wisely. "Would you pick the truth and justice over history?"

Rory's eyes went wide. "Really?" he asked.

"It makes sense," said Rose. She beamed at him. "You passed the Guardian's test."

"You are taking this remarkably well," said Rory.

"Well at least now we know that we are not trapped by something bad," said Rose. "She said that she was a Guardian of Time, wasn't she? Then she doesn't want to harm us. Whatever reason she has for testing us, there is a reason behind it all."

"You're right," nodded Rory. "Think we should keep moving?"

"Oh yes," said Rose. "Because I'm quite sure it will be my turn next."

Rory squeezed her hand as the two of them left the empty chamber and went back out into the corridors. Taking a collective deep breath, they ventured into the dark corridors again.

~

The Doctor and Amy followed the track of Rose's lipstick but after the seventh door, the trail went cold. The Doctor huffed in frustration while Amy cursed outright.

"What now?" she asked.

The Doctor turned around and his eyes went wide when he saw the wall that had appeared behind them. "I think the TARDIS or really, whatever is trapping us here, wants us to keep going straight."

Amy nodded as the two of them kept moving down the corridors. They kept moving straight until they came across a pair of deep blue double doors set in a gothic archway. Exchanging a look, they pushed the door open and Amy gasped when she saw what was inside.

"Welcome Princess," came the warm voice. Amy felt terror seize her heart. She knew this story far too well and if she was being thrust into the role of the princess then she had a choice to make.

A choice that could make or break the universe.


	3. The Quest: Azure

_Previously_

_They kept moving straight until they came across a pair of deep blue double doors set in a gothic archway. Exchanging a look, they pushed the door open and Amy gasped when she saw what was inside._

_"Welcome Princess," came the warm voice. Amy felt terror seize her heart. She knew this story far too well and if she was being thrust into the role of the princess then she had a choice to make._

_A choice that could make or break the universe._

"No," said Amy. "Doctor! Don't let them do this! Doctor?"

Amy looked around but the Doctor was nowhere in sight. The doors behind her were shut. She ran to them and tried to open them again but they wouldn't budge. Amy turned back to see a young handmaiden dressed in a spun blue dress bow at her.

"Welcome Princess," she said. "This way, please."

Amy gave up struggling and followed the handmaiden to the castle at the edge of the cliff. She knew exactly how this story went. It had been her favourite story when she was a child.

_Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, lived a princess who lived in a castle as blue as the moon of Kerlone. Her hair was as red as blood, and she was lovely and very intelligent. But she was also very lonely for her parents had died when she was very young. She was raised by her uncle, called Onio._

_Onio loved his dear niece very much and cared for her like any father would for his own daughter. He made sure that she had plenty of toys to play with and her smile meant everything to him._

"Princess," a man greeted her and Amy knew instinctively that this would be Onio in this convoluted reality.

"Uncle Onio," she said, curtsying like she had always done in front of the mirror after her mother had read the story to her.

"Come, my dear," said Onio with a kind smile. "Our people wait for you. Today, you shall ascend the throne and become our Queen. It is time for you to take your rightful place."

_When the princess was old enough, she was deigned ready to ascend the throne and become Queen. It was a big day for the princess and dignitaries from all over the kingdom had come to witness this joyous event._

_The princess was dressed in a gown so blue that it matched her beautiful castle. When she entered the throne room, everyone was struck by how beautiful the princess was. They all stood up to welcome her._

Amy's lips quirked at the irony of the blue dress she had chosen randomly in the wardrobe room earlier with Rose. Who knew? She curtsied again when the throne room full of people bowed to her.

Her face set in a fixed smiling mask, she remembered the next part of the story.

_Onio, as her uncle, would be the one to crown her. He lifted up the beautiful crown and held it up to the throne room. "Ladies and gentlemen, dignitaries, and our dear subjects, the time has come to crown our princess. It is a joy that is unequalled..."_

_As Onio continued to give his speech, the assassin in the crowd went unnoticed. He moved stealthily through the masses and was soon right in the forefront. He drew a small crossbow that had the poison dart attached to it. He took careful aim._

Amy saw the assassin move through the crowd.

_The dart flew through the air and hit Onio's chest, missing the Princess. There was a loud gasp as Onio choked loudly and fell to the ground, dead. The Princess wailed in sorrow as she saw her beloved uncle (who was like a father to her) die right in front of her, protecting her like he always had. She knelt by his body and wept into his chest._

_The pure tears of the princess fell on the poisonous dart and began to cleanse the poison off. Slowly, Onio started to stir again. The love of the princess had brought her uncle back. Sorrow turned to joy and the princess became the greatest Queen their kingdom had ever had._

_And they all lived happily after._

Of course, that had been the version that she had been read to as a child. A few years ago, out of morbid curiosity, she had found a book containing the original story. It had gone a lot differently.

_The dart flew through the air and hit Onio's chest, missing the Princess. There was a loud gasp as Onio choked loudly and fell to the ground, dead. The Princess wailed in sorrow as she saw her beloved uncle die right in front of her, protecting her like he always had. She knelt by his body and wept into his chest._

_"Save him!" she begged. "Bring him back!"_

_"Nothing can bring him back from death," the people tried to tell her._

_But the princess was stubborn and refused to accept it. She asked that her uncle's body be kept safe until she got back. And then she got on her Pegasus and flew to the mountains to find the old magician who lived there._

_After nearly three full days, she found the old magician. "Help me," she begged. "Bring my uncle back."_

_"I cannot," he said simply._

_"Please, I will give you whatever you want," she offered._

_"For a life to be given back, a life must be taken. The balance of the universe must be maintained," he said._

_"Whose life will you bargain for your uncle's?"_

_"Mine," she said. "I shall bargain my own life."_

_"Very well," said the magician and gave her a dagger. "Stab your uncle in his poison wound with this. When he is alive and well again, you must stab yourself with it."_

_Elated at having succeeded, the Princess returned to the kingdom. She did as the magician had instructed and stabbed her uncle. Slowly, he began to awaken. The Princess felt joy seize her heart at having him back._

_There was much pomp after Onio's resurrection. There were celebrations all over the kingdom. In all the happiness, the Princess forgot that she hadn't fulfilled the other part of her bargain._

_Days passed and Onio was completely well again. But then misery started to spread through the kingdom. The lakes started to dry, the crops started to die, people started going hungry and getting desperate. And yet, no one died._

_Oh, a few people came very close to dying but no one actually died. The Princess became distressed. She couldn't understand what had happened to bring such misery upon her beloved kingdom. It was only when Onio asked her how she had brought him back that she remembered that the old magician had told her about the balance of the universe._

_She began to cry as she confessed everything to Onio. He felt his heart break at all that his niece had endured. He took the dagger, intending to kill himself and set the balance right. But the Princess wouldn't hear of it._

Amy frowned as she realised that the story's end changed at this point. Some books say that the Princess refused to let Onio kill himself and ran into the dagger herself which broke the curse upon their kingdom. 

Other legends say that Onio sacrificed himself to save the kingdom and the Princess and before he died, he made her promise that she wouldn't try to bring him back again.

The assassin was nearly at the front now and Amy had a choice to make. What would she do? Would she let Onio die? And if he did, would she make the deal with the magician or let him stay dead? The balance of the universe was important.

_I, Amelia Jessica Pond, do swear an oath as a member of the Time Agency to uphold the laws of the universe and do my duty towards all its citizens. If ever there is a time when it comes between the universe and my own life, I shall pick the universe and will not hesitate to sacrifice myself in order to restore the balance of the universe._

She didn't exactly know how the TARDIS had landed her in this place but with the balance of the universe at stake, she really couldn't risk it. If there was a death that had to happen...

The assassin fired the dart and Amy pushed Onio out of the way. The dart hit her abdomen and she felt immense pain shoot through her. She knew she was dying but at least the universe was safe. Despite her not being a Time Agent any longer, she had kept her oath and done her duty.

The pain disappeared as quickly as it had happened and Amy was confused. She began to sit up, only to realise that she was in an empty room. "Well done," said a man and a gloved hand was offered to her.

Amy's eyes widened as she saw a handsome man with curly blonde hair and eyes so blue that she had to blink to make sure they were real and not a trick of the light. "What?" she asked, confused.

"A job well done, Amelia Pond," he said. "I suppose you are confused as to who I am. I am the Azure Guardian. The Guardian of Equilibrium and Balance."

"You're a Guardian of Time," gasped Amy. "I thought you were just a myth."

"Yes, we do prefer to let the ephemerals think that," he said dismissively.

"Then why bother with this ephemeral?" asked Amy sarcastically. She did not appreciate her sacrifice being a source of amusement for the Eternals.

He raised his eyebrow. "Your impertinence is a hindrance. If you had not passed this test, I would have delighted in reminding you of your place."

"A test for what exactly?" asked Amy, ignoring the poorly concealed threat.

"Unimportant for now," he said. "Enough to know that you passed. Better be on your way."

"Hang on, I've got more questions!" yelled Amy but he had disappeared. Grumbling under her breath, she left the chamber and found the Doctor pacing outside the doors.

"Amy!" he cried in relief when he saw her. "You went inside before I could stop you and the doors wouldn't open again," he said frantically. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, yeah," Amy nodded. "Met a Guardian of Time, though."

The Doctor looked at her sharply. "What?" he demanded.

Amy explained the story and the simulation that the Azure Guardian had trapped her in. The Doctor looked thoughtful by the time she had finished. "I see," he said, finally. "The Guardians seem to have taken interest in me again."

"Again?" asked Amy.

"Oh yes," said the Doctor. "It is not my first brush with them and certainly won't be the last. I wonder what they want this time. They haven't really tried to test my companions before."

"Guess we're just special then?" joked Amy.

The Doctor gave a half-hearted smile. "You know as well as I do that being on the radar of the Guardians can be catastrophic. Let's hope that Rose and Rory are not facing anything worse than this."

They headed down the corridor and slowed down when they heard quick footsteps coming towards them. The Doctor stopped Amy and moved ahead of her, trying to see who it was.

"...31 bottles of beer on the wall, 31 bottles of beer..."

Giving a sigh of relief, the Doctor ran towards them, Amy close on his heels. "I do hope that you haven't been singing that all along," said the Doctor with a wide smile.

Rory and Rose looked up and beamed in delight. "Doctor!" Rose exclaimed and ran straight into his arms for a hug. The Doctor picked her up and twirled her slightly. "Thank god we found you."

"So, you two run into Guardians too?" asked Amy as she squeezed Rory's arm in delight.

"Just one," answered Rory. "The Red Guardian. I got put in Apollo's shoes during Orestes' trial."

The Doctor winced at that. "That could not have been easy," he said sympathetically.

"It wasn't that bad," said Rory. "What is next, do you think?"

"That door I would say," said Rose, pointing at a pair of golden double doors that had seemingly materialised out of nowhere further down the corridor.

"Keeping with the theme, I would say that belongs to the Gold Guardian," said Amy.

"Who was the Gold Guardian?" asked Rory.

The Doctor sighed grimly. "The Guardian of Life and Death," he said.

"Who hasn't been tested yet?" asked Amy.

"Me," answered Rose as she looked at the doors. "My test is about Life and Death?"

The Doctor took her hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry," he said. "We are all going to be with you."

Rose tried to smile at his optimistic tone. She felt Rory grip her shoulder in comfort and saw Amy's comforting smile as she faced the door. She pushed them open and set foot inside.

The room was completely empty save for a woman dressed in a shimmering gold dress, standing calmly in the middle of the room. Her blonde hair was long and adorned with delicate gold chains. She seemed to literally glow an ethereal gold.

"Welcome Rose," she said in a soothing voice.

Rose wondered why she didn't greet the others, only to realise that she was completely alone. The Doctor, Amy and Rory were nowhere in sight. Trying not to let her panic show, she nodded at the Gold Guardian.

"Your friends are fine," said the Guardian with a smile. "But I suppose you must know that this is your test."  
Rose nodded again, not trusting herself to speak yet.

"Very well," said the Guardian and a spotlight appeared behind her.

Rose gasped as she saw three long glass holding cells, big enough to hold one person each, illuminated by the spotlight. The first one had the Doctor, the next one had Rory and the last one had Amy. They were all in a trance-like state, unable to move or say anything.

"The test is simple," said the Gold Guardian. "Life or death. Except you can only save two of them. The third one will die. Your choice, Rose."


	4. The Quest: White and Gold

_Previously_

_Rose gasped as she saw three long glass holding cells, big enough to hold one person, illuminated by the spotlight. The first one had the Doctor, the next one had Rory and the last one had Amy. They were all in a trance-like state, unable to move or say anything._

_"The test is simple," said the Gold Guardian. "Life or death. Except you can only save two of them. The third one will die. Your choice, Rose."_

Rose shook her head. "I can't do that," she said.

"It's not a difficult test, Rose," said the Guardian, staring at her squarely.

"But if this really is just a test, then it doesn't really matter who I pick, do I?" she asked suddenly. "No one will actually die."

"Ah," smiled the Guardian. "No, I'm afraid it isn't that simple. Had Rory Williams defended Orestes, he would have found himself killed by the furies. Had Amelia Pond not taken that poison dart meant for Onio, she would have been forced to stab herself by the dagger later. Ergo, you have to make your choice and if you make the wrong choice, the person you chose to die will really die."

Rose felt her triumphant smile slide off. She really had been hoping for an easier choice to make. If what the Guardian had said was true, then one mistake on her part could mean that one of them would die. How was she meant to make that choice?

"Take your time with it," said the Gold Guardian pleasantly. "Remember that the one you condemn to death will really die if you are wrong."

"Why, though?" asked Rose suddenly. "Why are we being tested like this?"

"There will be time for that later," said the Guardian dismissively. "If you prove yourself worthy, then you shall know our purpose."

"And I become worthy by killing one of my friends?" demanded Rose, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes," answered the Guardian simply.

Rose gritted her teeth and looked at the three glass holding cells. The Doctor was first. Out of the question, she would never kill the Doctor. It was just outrageous. She shook her head slowly and looked at the next cell which held Rory.

She had known him for a while now and cared a great deal for him. He was like the annoying brother she never wished she had yet she couldn't help but love him. He was brilliant and she could not kill him anymore than he could kill her.

Which left Amelia Pond. Rose had not been particularly fond of her when they had first met. She was a Space Pirate, a common thief. Yet, she had helped them save the universe from the Daleks. After the events were all over and done with, she had expected that Amy would be dropped off wherever she wanted and they would keep going.

However, she hadn't anticipated what had actually happened.

_"That is...unbelievable," said Rory, his eyes wide with awe as the Doctor finished the story of the Bad Wolf._

_"It still begs the question of how Rose knew to activate the defence," said Amy._

_Rose reluctantly had to admit she had a point. She looked at the Doctor for an answer and he avoided her gaze, choosing to straighten his cravat instead. Feeling slightly irritated, Rose added the other thing that was bothering her. "And since when do Time Lords believe in goddesses?"_

_The Doctor sighed. "One of Gallifrey's founders was always said to be...a bit eccentric," he admitted. "He was the one who put the defence in. But I don't know why Rose could activate it."_

_"What was the founder called?" asked Rose._

_The Doctor stopped twirling the vector tracker. "The Other," he said._

_"That's an odd name," said Rory._

_"Yes well, it's not very important now," said the Doctor. He turned to Amy. "So, Captain, have you made up your mind about where you want to be left off?"_

_Amy looked a bit surprised and then shook her head. "I have...no idea. I don't know when or where my crew could be. I suppose you could drop me off on Lyon. I can start again."_

_The Doctor stared at her thoughtfully for a long moment. "Yes," he said finally. "Or, you are welcome to join us."_

_Amy stared at him in shock. "Okay," she said finally. "Count me in."_

_"Splendid!" said the Doctor. "Let's see now: the Victorian times sound good. How about it?"_

With a shaky breath, Rose was brought back to the present. It would be easy to pick Amy to be the one sent to her death but Rose felt sick to her stomach at the thought. Granted that she didn't know Amy as well as the Doctor or Rory, or even cared about her as much as she did about them, but there was no way she was going to kill her. That was unfair, not to mention completely wrong.

She saw the Guardian watch her patiently and Rose took a steadying breath. She had to change her perspective. If it had been her in one of the cases, she would have gladly sacrificed herself to save the others. Then, she thought about what the Doctor would do.

The answer came to her in a flash. She looked up at the Guardian and gave a nod. "I have made my choice," she said.

Still smiling, the Gold Guardian gave her a small, flat device that looked like a remote control. It had three switches, numbered from one to three. "Each of the switches corresponds to the cells in front of you. Switch on the two that you want to save."

Rose took the remote control and wondered again if she was making the right choice. But she thought of the Doctor again and what he would do in this circumstance and her decision solidified itself in her mind.

Without hesitating, she pressed switch number 2. A green light lit above Rory's head and he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Hands shaking, Rose felt herself waver just a little bit as she thought of the next part of her task. Her eyes moved between the Doctor and Amy and she finally just closed her eyes and pressed...switch number 3.

The remote vanished from her hands and Rose opened her eyes only to find that the glass cases had disappeared. The Gold Guardian stood there with a calculating look in her eyes, and a disorientated Rory and Amy standing behind her. "Well," the Guardian said finally. "It seems you have made your choice."

"Was it the right one?" asked Rose, shakily.

The Guardian gave her a smile. "Only time will tell," and vanished into thin air.

"No! Come back!" Rose yelled. "Where's the Doctor?"

"Rose, what happened?" Rory asked as he rubbed his head.

Rose barely heard him as she felt her legs tremble. "I killed the Doctor," she whispered, aghast.

~

The Doctor ran a hand through his curls and tried to steady his vision. The last thing he remembered was leading Rose into the Gold Guardian's test. And then, nothing. Until he had woken up nearly twenty seconds earlier.

It was in an empty chamber and the Doctor waited patiently for one of the Guardians to reveal themselves. So, he was not disappointed when the White Guardian appeared casually out of thin air. He was dressed in a crisp white tailored suit, with a white panama hat on his head.

Unlike the last time the Doctor had met him in his fourth form, he wasn't carrying a drink nor was he seated. He was standing rigidly with a grave expression on his face.

"Ah," said the Doctor. "I suppose you are here to tell me why precisely you are putting my companions through twisted tests?" he asked. "Sir," he added at the end, not wanting to aggravate the situation further.

"We had to ensure that they were capable," said the White Guardian.

"I would have told you that if you had asked," said the Doctor. "And on a related matter, capable for what, precisely?"

The White Guardian sighed and crossed his arms at his back. "A grave danger threatens our universe, Doctor," he said.

"You mean worse than what just happened?" he asked, thinking of Gallifrey almost being wiped from the skies. "Sir," he added hastily.

"Much, much worse," said the White Guardian. "It is not just about the ephemeral universe anymore, Doctor. The War has begun among the Guardians themselves."

"I assume that you are referring to the Black Guardian," said the Doctor. "All due respect, sir, but you and the Black Guardian are supposed to be at odds. That is how the universe maintains its balance."

"Yes, I am aware of that, Doctor," said the White Guardian, his tone slightly admonishing. "However, I am afraid the Black Guardian has been joined by another Guardian."

"Impossible," said the Doctor. "The Guardians are supposed to be independent."

"Yet the Crystal Guardian has chosen to ally himself with the Black Guardian," said the White Guardian.

The Doctor almost gasped out loud. "The Crystal Guardian? Meaning..."

"The Celestial Toymaker, as I believe he called himself when he met you," said the White Guardian. "Now, you see my concern."

"And you have the remaining Guardians on your side. Red, Azure and Gold," guessed the Doctor. "I still don't understand what you need me or my companions for."

"The War can be stopped, Doctor. But for that to happen, the universe has to be stopped," said the White Guardian. "Just for one moment."

The Doctor's eyes went wide. "The Key to Time," he realised. "You want me to reassemble it again?"

"Indeed, Doctor," said the White Guardian. "It is the only way we can stop the Black Guardian and the Crystal Guardian from asserting their dominance over the entire universe."

"I still don't understand why you had to test my companions. I have assembled the Key before and I will be successful at it again," said the Doctor.

"The stakes are higher, Doctor, as the ephemerals would say," said the White Guardian. "The Black Guardian and the Crystal Guardian have already started recruiting an army of ephemerals to possess the Key. They will not stop at anything to kill you or your companions. I had to ensure that your companions were capable of handling this."

"I assume that they have all passed your tests?" demanded the Doctor. "Sir," he tagged on since his tone had been far too rude.

"Oh indeed," said the White Guardian with a small smile. "With flying colours, I might add."

The Doctor couldn't help a small, proud smile. "I always take the best," he said.

"Quite," said the White Guardian. He held out a small, transparent rod with red, orange, yellow and white markings at one end. "You will need this."

"Ah yes, the core of the Key to Time," said the Doctor as he took it. "I have almost missed this."

"The first segment of the key has always remained in your TARDIS, Doctor," said the White Guardian. "But the rest have been scattered all over the cosmos. The time is ticking, Time Lord."

"Yes sir," said the Doctor.

"Be careful, Doctor," said the White Guardian as he began to fade away slowly. "Remember, danger will be dogging your footsteps. Beware, Doctor! Beware the Black Guardian and the Crystal Guardian!"

The Doctor sighed and looked back at the core in his hands, and felt a brief sense of nostalgia as he thought of Romana. Those had been simpler times. Just a fix of the universe. Not a War among the Guardians that would cause destruction of the cosmos.

Still, it was a quest that he knew was essential. Plus, it would allow him to show his companions a few different sights. Nodding to himself, he saw his old safe that had conveniently been moved into this chamber. He unlocked it and found the first segment of the Key.

With a smile, he examined it and put it back inside. One down, five to go.

~

Rory was hugging Rose and even Amy was patting her shoulder in comfort. She had managed to tell them in hurried tones what her test had been and the fact that the Doctor hadn't turned up, had made them all assume the worst.

"It's okay, Rose," said Rory, too numb to think of anything better to say.

Amy was touched by the fact that Rose hadn't simply chosen to kill her. It would have made the most logical sense. She squeezed her shoulder in comfort and gratitude.

"A group hug without me?" came the Doctor's amused voice and the three of them gasped in unison. He grinned mischievously at them and the next second, all three of them had nearly tackled him with hugs. He laughed as he steadied them. "I assume this means you missed me?" he asked cheekily.

"Shut up," muttered Rose, slapping his chest before burying her head in his neck again.

Rory and Amy were first to break away but Rose stayed longer in his arms, apologising over and over again. "It's alright, Rose," said the Doctor. "You made the right choice. It was a perfectly logical thing to do. Even if I had died, I would have regenerated. Rory and Amy do not have that luxury. So, it made sense."

"But I didn't know if you would be able to regenerate," protested Rose.

"Even if I wasn't able to, I would rather my companions be kept safe," he said. "You did good," he said sincerely, meeting her gaze steadily.

"What were all the dumb tests for anyway?" asked Rory.

The Doctor grinned. "We have been handed our very own quest," he said, excitedly.

"What kind of a quest?" asked Amy with interest.

"The Quest for the Key to Time," said the Doctor.

At his words, the chamber around them seemed to dissipate like bad reception on telly, and they found themselves back into the main console room. "Is that it then?" asked Rory. "The Guardians are gone?"

"Yes, I should think so," said the Doctor as he walked over to the console and began to run diagnostics on it.

"Hang on though," said Rose. "What is the Key to Time?"

The Doctor smiled at her. "It is a very powerful artefact that has the power to stop the universe for just one instant," he said brightly.

"Stop it?" asked Rory in confusion. "Why?"

"So that you can fix whatever is wrong without upsetting the balance," explained Amy, understanding it at once. "That is some powerful artefact."

"Which is why it has been broken up and spread across time and space," said the Doctor.

"How are we going to find it then?" asked Rose.

"With this," said the Doctor, showing them the core. "This is the core of the Key to Time. When all six pieces of the key are connected, this goes right in the middle of it, to complete the structure. And until we do so, the core acts like a detector. It can catch the signal of the hidden key piece and revert it back to the normal form."

"How do we know where the pieces are?" asked Rory. "I mean, you said they were all across time and space."

"Ah," said the Doctor and carefully plugged in the core into the TARDIS console. "Like this."

Amy looked at the screen nearest to hers and gasped. "There are new space-time coordinates here," she said.

"That must be the next destination," said the Doctor. "The second segment."

"The second?" asked Rose. "Where's the first?"

"In the TARDIS," said the Doctor. He rechecked the coordinates and looked at his companions. "So, what do you say? Are you ready to take on the quest?" he asked, his eyes shining.

They exchanged a look. "Not even slightly," laughed Rose as Amy and Rory chuckled.

The Doctor beamed brightly. "Good. Here we go then!"


	5. The Space Mystery: The Orient Express

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Face claims for the characters appearing in this story: Janelle Lombardi-Hayden Panetierre; Kramer Pollock-Sam Worthington; Faber Bonasera-Alexander Armstrong; Valerie Richmond-Jane Fonda; Keira Richmond-Eliza Dushku; Dr. Tristan Greenfield-Richard Armitage; Carter Dunlop-John Mayer

When Rory thought back to the last few months of his life, he found himself marvelling at how many things had changed. Less than seven months ago, he was a Roman Centurion in 102 A.D. Before that, he had been a nurse back in Leadworth in the early 21st century.

But then, he had met the Doctor. He reckoned it had been at least six months since he had started travelling in the TARDIS, though time was relative as the Doctor often reminded him. Travelling with them was Rose Tyler, who had been with the Doctor even longer than Rory had. She was originally a shop girl from 2005 London but had met the Doctor when a stray Cybermen ship had crashed to Earth.

Rose and Rory had been travelling with the Doctor for a while before they met Captain Amelia Pond on the planet of Calamity amidst the universe collapsing. The peculiar circumstances that followed were still slightly jarring on his nerves. Long story short, Amelia or Amy as she preferred, joined them in their travels.

And then they were accosted by the Guardians. A war was raging between the Guardians, and the White Guardian had recruited the Doctor and his three companions to assemble the Key to Time, an artefact that could prevent the war of the Eternals from destroying the universe.

The Key had six segments and the first one was already in the TARDIS where it had been kept safe by the Doctor. It was the search of the second segment that took them to the planet of Snowdell in the Isop galaxy. Not just aboard the planet...but right outside a train station.

A train station that had trains that travelled into space...

~

"No way," said Rose, her eyes wide. "Trains that travel into space?"

"Marvellous, isn't it?" asked the Doctor, his eyes sparkling.

"How does it work?" Rory asked at once.

"The technology is developed such that the craft looks and feels like a train, both inside and out," said the Doctor. "The train that they modelled this one after is from Earth. The 1940s to be precise."

"Why?" asked Amy.

"Preservation of your culture? Rich humans spending an outrageous amount of money? Take your pick," said the Doctor. "And we have exclusive access," he added, flashing them four tickets, printed on thick gold paper.

"Those look expensive," Rory observed.

"They are," said the Doctor with a quick smile. "The signal seemed to lead towards the luggage car of the first class. I thought we could use the proper channels just this once. See how it feels," he winked. "It has to be a change from accidental landings which gets us into so much trouble."

"Well, if we are pretending to be people who travel in first class on a regular basis, we have to dress better than this," said Rose, with a pointed look at their clothes.

"1940s," reminded the Doctor as she and Amy left to go towards the wardrobe room.

"Aye, aye," waved Amy.

"So, how are you sure that the segment is on this train?" asked Rory.

"When the TARDIS brought us here, I went out to have a quick look. The signal was strong. It is definitely in the luggage car," explained the Doctor.

"Rich people with a hoard of luggage," whistled Rory. "It's going to be like finding a needle in the haystack. How long is the journey?"

"37 hours," answered the Doctor. "The train goes from the planet to its fifteenth and farthest moon called Applepond."

"Applepond?" asked Rory, trying not to laugh.

The Doctor grinned at him. "Intriguing name, isn't it? I wonder what Amy will think of it," he wondered. He shook his head. "Besides, that isn't really the exciting part."

"It isn't?" asked Rory in surprise.

"No," said the Doctor. "It's the name of the train." At Rory's questioning look, the Doctor showed him the tickets.

Rory gasped as he read them. "No way," he said. "The Orient Express."

"In space!" added the Doctor enthusiastically.

~

Looking back, Rory thought he should have been feeling a sense of dread rather than the excitement. Ah, who was he kidding? Of course he was excited. So was Rose when he told her and surprisingly, Amy. Rory had known that Rose was an avid Christie fan but Amy came as a bit of a shock. Of course then the Doctor got to tell them all how Agatha Christie's books were still in circulation past the 73rd century. They were suitably impressed by it.

They had their luggage packed and were dressed as per the 40s fashion. Rory rather fancied himself as a young Elliot Ness, dressed as he was in the expensive suit. Amy and Rose were completely gorgeous as usual in their posh and expensive gowns and frocks. The Doctor, on the other hand, was wearing his usual grey breeches, white wing-collared shirt with a grey vest and cravat and his green frockcoat completing his look. Even after Rose badgered him to dress a little less old-fashioned, he shook his head claiming that his clothes never went out of fashion. Considering what he wore in his fifth and sixth lives, Rory thought that statement was not even a little bit true.

The train itself was a classic. Had it not been for a variety of advanced tech, it would have been easy to believe that they were on Earth, back in time. They had two compartments side by side, each with two twin beds. While the interior was supposed to look like the one back in the 40s, the beds and linen were obviously futuristic. Yet instead of ruining the authenticity, it just added to its charm.

The Doctor tried to suggest that Rose and Amy ought to bunk together while he and Rory did the same. Rory was set to agree when Amy said that she would rather share with him. Rory tried to tamp down his eagerness at the idea, knowing that she was probably going with the assumption that the Doctor and Rose were a couple.

So, it was finally decided that Amy and Rory would share one compartment while the Doctor and Rose had the one next to theirs. Their luggage was stowed away in the luggage car but the porters were still there meaning they couldn't exactly search for the segment right then.  
Instead, they decided to go down to the dining car, just as the train was about to begin its journey. The first class had a separate dining car that could only be accessed by first class passengers. It had deep red carpets and polished furniture that would be the dream of any interior decoration enthusiast.

In the dining car, they were greeted by the train's conductor named Carter Dunlop. He was a bloke around Rory's age, with a slightly sullen face. He spoke in short, clipped sentences, giving the overall impression of someone who hated his job but was unable to leave it.

Apart from Carter, there was a host of staff (both servers and entertainers). Even a few of the guests were there. Everyone's eye first caught on Janelle Lombardi, not because she was beautiful, but because she was kissing a man much older than her. Janelle who looked all of 19, was with a man whom they would have thought was at least 42. Upon seeing them, he introduced himself Kramer Pollock and he and Janelle were engaged to be married. It was later revealed that Kramer was a penniless artist while Janelle was a rich heiress to a computer empire on Snowdell.

The other guest sitting by himself introduced himself as Faber Bonasera, an attorney. He kept fiddling with his wedding ring constantly and when Rose tried to get him talking, he confessed quietly that his wife had just passed away and he was taking a break from his life in Snowdell.  
While they were getting acquainted, two more of the guests arrived. The older woman, dressed in a severe yet fashionable manner, was Valerie Richmond and with her was her granddaughter Keira Richmond. The Richmond family owned the planet's major supply of minerals and Valerie was the ruling matriarch. She was 87 years old but didn't look a day over 58. Amy whispered in Rory's ear that Valerie appeared to have had at least 43 surgical procedures.

Keira Richmond was gorgeous. She had dark hair and soulful brown eyes unlike her grandmother's blonde hair and harsh blue eyes. She was soft spoken and well-dressed and any male would be lying if they said that they were not attracted to her. Even Rory seemed a bit dazed when he saw her. She seemed to have her eyes set on the Doctor though, which did not earn her any points from Rose.

The Doctor was cheerfully oblivious to all of her flirtations, a fact which Amy found very amusing to watch. But she did notice very quickly the way his face darkened when the last guest arrived and took interest in Rose. Tristan Greenfield was about the Doctor's age (well, physically at least) and was an actual doctor. He was moving to Applepond to set up a quiet practice after a life on the main planet. Dr. Greenfield was handsome, charming, and soon had Rose, Keira, Amy and even Janelle interested in his stories.

Carter, the train conductor, then let them know that these were all the people travelling in the first class and would be fellow passengers for the 37 hour journey that it was to Applepond. The train set off and despite knowing that they had a job to do, the time travellers were very excited at being aboard the Orient Express. In space.

~

"This is amazing," said Rose in an awed voice as she and the Doctor sat at a booth in the dining car. "Really feel like we're on Earth, back in time."

The Doctor grinned at her across the table. "The humans on Snowdell are sticklers for details," he said. "They are evolved, yet revellers of the worst kind."

Rose tilted her head in confusion at that. "What do you mean?" she asked.

The Doctor leaned closer to her, beckoning her to do the same. "See Miss Lombardi? She's younger than you and is the sole heiress to a fortune worth a few planets. She was orphaned at the age of 7 and has been raised by a series of tutors and nannies."

Rose glanced at the blonde and then back at the Doctor. "You don't think she should be engaged to Mr. Pollock?" she asked in a low voice.

"I don't quite trust him," he said shortly. "A girl like Janelle is young and vulnerable while a man like Pollock is after money and prestige."

Rose nodded along to that. "What else?" she asked.

The Doctor sighed. "Poor Faber Bonasera is distraught, as you saw when you spoke to him. Losing someone you love is difficult. Yet, did you notice something odd about him?"

Rose met his eyes and nodded slowly. "He seems...almost guilty," she said.

The Doctor nodded along. "Yes, but that is to be expected. A loss of the kind that he has suffered often invokes guilt. But somehow it's deeper than that." Rose looked questioningly at him but he just shook his head. "Your turn. What have you observed about our fellow passengers?"

"Keira Richmond fancies you," she said, trying to sound nonchalant about it and not as disgruntled as she was feeling.

The Doctor's lips quirked into a smile. "Yes, it seems so, doesn't it?" he asked and Rose shrugged in response. "The flirting was almost overdone."

"Didn't think you'd noticed," said Rose, examining her nails instead of looking at him.

"Oh, it's our job to notice, Rose Tyler," said the Doctor in the same slightly amused voice. "But what I meant was her flirting was deliberate. Too methodical to be genuine."

Rose finally looked up at that. "You think she was faking it? Why would she do that?" she asked, genuinely curious.

The Doctor shrugged. "She must have her reasons, I suppose," he said. "Her grandmother is an interesting woman, though."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "Don't like her all that much. She reminds me of Lady Beatrice. Remember how awful she was?"

"Ah yes, Lady Beatrice," nodded the Doctor. "Yes, they are extraordinarily alike. For some reason, I thought she was rather like Queen Mary but Lady Beatrice sounds more accurate."

"You've met Queen Mary? Bloody Mary?" asked Rose, her lips curled in amusement.

"In my sixth life, yes," he nodded. "An odd encounter that one."

Rose had more questions but she brought herself back to the present. "So, who did we miss? Carter seems to hate his job," she said.

"Don't quite blame him," said the Doctor. "Catering to the needs of the rich and demanding cannot be an easy task. And we missed your friend, Dr. Greenfield."

"He isn't that bad," Rose defended when the Doctor's tone hardened at his name. "His stories were brilliant. Did you hear the one where he found an alarm clock in his patient's stomach?" asked Rose mirthfully.

"Yes, I heard," said the Doctor shortly. "Yet like Pollock, I can't seem to trust him." Rose raised her eyebrows at that but the Doctor continued on. "The very first thing he did upon introducing himself was launch into his stories. Now, I can understand liking the sound of your own voice, I have been guilty of it myself. But the pace at which he was talking was almost like he was attempting to distract everyone from something else. I find that highly suspicious."

Rose wanted to point out that maybe the Doctor was just being a bit jealous but realised that he had a point. Dr. Greenfield did seem hell bent on keeping in control of the conversation around him. Rose cleared her throat. "So basically, all our fellow passengers have their own secrets," she surmised. "Think this is really like the real Orient Express that Christie wrote about?" she asked cheekily.

The Doctor grinned widely as he met her eyes. "Well, Miss Tyler, you never know," he said enigmatically, his eyes shining.

Rose laughed and shook her head. "You are impossible sometimes," she said. Then her smile dimmed and she lowered her voice. "What about the task for the Guardians? How do we find the second segment?" she asked. "Someone's bound to be around the luggage car."

The Doctor's demeanour remained unchanged. "Well, we shall be served supper soon and then, we'll go to bed. As soon as everyone is asleep, we can go strolling around with the core to the Key to Time to search for the second segment. Hopefully, we shall find it before the train gets to Applepond."

Rose nodded, admiring his optimism even as she felt all her instincts screaming that it wouldn't be so easy. "Hope so," she agreed with a small smile.

The Doctor returned her smile and raised his glass of lime and soda to her in acknowledgement. "Here's to a smooth journey," he said. Rose clinked his glass with her own and they both took a sip of their drink simultaneously.

Unbeknownst to them, an ominous peal of laughter rang across the cosmos. The first of the Black Guardian's recruits was already on the Orient Express...and the Doctor and his companions had no idea...


	6. The Space Mystery: A Murder

Suppertime rolled around. The Doctor beckoned his companions closer and quickly whispered his plan. They were all quite impressed by his idea. The Doctor had suggested that they would cover more ground if the four of them split up and sat with different people during supper. It made sense; they would be able to know which one of them was carrying something valuable that might be disguised as a segment of the Key to Time.

The Doctor had already scanned the dining room but the core remained silent, pointing back towards the luggage car. So, the Doctor joined Keira and her grandmother, Amy sat with Faber, Rory joined Janelle and Kramer Pollock and Rose joined Dr. Greenfield.

Janelle and Kramer were like a typical couple in love. Well, Janelle was. All she could talk about was their upcoming wedding. Apparently their trip to Applepond was to narrow down the venues for their prestigious high society wedding. Kramer was quiet throughout supper, interjecting occasionally to calm Janelle down when she got too excited about the wedding planning. His silence was suspicious but Janelle really didn't give him much of a chance to speak. Or Rory, for that matter.

On his right, Rory could hear Amy trying to talk to Faber. Faber was drinking heavily, and despite Amy's charming manner, he wasn't opening up much. He had hardly touched his food and Amy was steadily getting frustrated at the lack of info.

The Doctor was seated with Keira and Valerie Richmond at a table opposite Rory and from what he could tell, Keira was still flirting heavily with the Doctor. The Doctor was either oblivious or completely ignoring her. He made polite conversation about the political structure on Snowdell and it was surprising to see that Valerie was gradually losing her unpleasant attitude and was even smiling at the Doctor. Later when Rory asked him, he said that he knew someone very similar to her once. Then he and Rose exchanged their usual enigmatic smiles and Rory didn't ask further.

Rose was sitting with Dr. Greenfield and they were too far away from Rory to listen in to their conversation. But Tristan looked like he was telling one of the stories from his surgery room again and Rose was a wonderful audience, smiling and gasping at the right moments. A few times, Rory saw the Doctor tense and he guessed he could hear their conversation quite well. Maybe it was just Rory's imagination but Rose did not seem as interested in Dr. Greenfield as she had been when they had first met.

The supper was over and the only usable information that Rory had been able to learn from Janelle was the kind of caterer he should hire if he ever got married anywhere near Snowdell. All Amy knew that Hypervodka made Faber more and more gloomy. The Doctor had better luck when Valerie mentioned that she was carrying some of her old jewellery and jewels to be resized from the Richmond family jeweller on Applepond. Rose just shook her head when asked what she had learned from Dr. Greenfield. All that she had learned was that the man could talk for even longer than the Doctor.

In keeping up with the ruse, they bid everyone goodnight and retired to their respective compartments. The Doctor whispered to them that he would wake them up when he was sure that everyone else had gone to bed and then they would go exploring.

When Amy and Rory got to their compartment, Amy quickly closed the door. "What exactly are you doing?" Rory asked Amy as she picked up a glass and threw the water out of it.

She winked at him and placed the glass against the compartment's wall. "Eavesdropping," she said, utterly unashamed.

"On the Doctor and Rose?" asked Rory, strangely unbothered. "Why?"

"Oh come on, don't even pretend you aren't curious," she said. "We saw those two talking before supper. I just want to know what theories the Doctor has."

Rory stared at her for a moment before shrugging and joining her. The two pressed their ears to the glass and the sound was surprisingly clear through the thin walls that divided the compartments.

"...so you think it's one of Valerie's jewellery pieces?" Rose could be heard asking.

"It makes sense. The last time I assembled the Key to Time, one of the segments was disguised as a lump of Jethrik," said the Doctor.

"Jethrik? Is that the blue mineral that's very valuable?"

"You remembered! Yes, the very same."

There was a silence for a while and Amy and Rory exchanged a look, wondering if they had gone to sleep. But then Rose spoke in a low, hesitant voice. "Do you think the Time Lords know that you are doing this again?"

There was a pause and they heard the Doctor sigh. "I should think so," he said. "I am surprised I haven't received a message from Romana about it."

"Do they remember what happened...before?" Amy and Rory could guess easily what she meant and were curious to know as well. In the hurry that everything that had happened, they had never quite discovered what the universe nearly ending had done to the other Time Lords. The Doctor had only said that the balance was restored and that the Time Lords and Gallifrey were back where they were supposed to be.

"It is not very likely that they do," he admitted slowly. He sounded very hesitant to answer and they had to wonder if there was some part of the story that he had left unsaid. "It is probably like a faint memory. Of a timeline that did not happen. Like a dream you can't quite remember in the morning."

"They're not gonna want to question me or something, are they?" Rose's tone was light but Rory could tell that she was genuinely terrified of the prospect.

"I won't let them." The Doctor's voice was quick, firm and stern. "You saved their lives and if they dare to think that I'm going to let them harm you, then I will be sure to remind them of a few facts myself."

Rory took away the glass, ignoring Amy's questioning look. This was too private. The Doctor had sounded fiercely passionate when he had said that. Rory did not doubt that the Doctor would hesitate even briefly to defend Rose, even against his own people.

But that admission was too heartfelt to be listened in on by them. Amy looked a bit disappointed but settled for reaching into her purse and pulling out a bottle. "Hypervodka?" she offered.

Rory raised an eyebrow before taking the bottle in his hand. The clear liquid in the bottle resembled regular vodka he remembered from Earth. At Amy's encouraging look, he took a cautious sip and spit it straight back out, coughing violently as he did.

Amy laughed as she took the bottle from him and took a long swig. To his growing embarrassment, she had no trouble keeping it down. "Don't worry," she said, when Rory turned red. "You get used to the kick after a while."

Rory sincerely doubted it but he did take the second sip. Now that he was expecting the strength of the alcohol, he did not spit it out nor did he break out into a coughing fit like before. He still had to clear his throat a few times after he swallowed the drink though.

There came a knock at their compartment door and he and Amy looked up in surprise. "Think the Doctor knew we were drinking?" Amy asked him in a whisper.

Rory handed her the bottle back and saw her slip it back into her purse. Taking a deep breath, and trying to ignore the slight buzzing in his head, he opened the door. It wasn't the Doctor, nor was it Rose. It was Faber Bonasera.

"Mr. Bonasera?" Rory looked surprised. "Is everything okay?"

Faber looked even more distraught than before. "You have to help me," he said in a hoarse voice. "Please. You have to help me." His body slumped as he grabbed Rory's arms in desperation, his eyes wide with terror.

"Amy, help," said Rory frantically as he tried to stop Faber from going into shock. Amy came up from behind him and helped him get Faber back on his feet. "Call the Doctor," Rory told her as they manoeuvred Faber into a sitting position on one of the beds in their compartment. He was rocking back and forth and the terrified look on his face unnerving.

Amy exchanged a look with Rory before going next door and knocking loudly. "Doctor? Rose?" she called.

"Amy, what's wrong?" the Doctor asked, opening the door at once. His coat and cravat were off and he appeared to be in the middle of unbuttoning his vest.

Amy hastily looked away from his quite smashing physique and focused on the matter at hand. "It's Faber. He's having some sort of a breakdown," she said quickly.

The Doctor's brow furrowed as he followed Amy to their compartment. Amy noticed Rose hurrying after them, the Doctor's coat slung over her arm. Before they could enter their compartment though, Faber burst out of there and ran down the hallway.

"Faber! Mr. Bonasera! Come back!" Rory yelled after him.

"Rory, what happened?" the Doctor asked as Rose helped him back into his coat.

"He just took off," said Rory, bewildered by the whole business. "I was trying to get him to talk but nothing he said was making sense."

The Doctor hurried after Faber, his companions right behind him. Faber had gone into his own compartment and shut the door. "Faber?" the Doctor tried gently.

There was no answer from the other end. The Doctor tried the door handle but it was locked.

"Faber," Rory called. "Just open the door. We are here to help."

They waited for an answer but there was none. "Use the sonic screwdriver," Rose suggested.

Before the Doctor could reach for it, Carter appeared in the corridor from the dining car. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Mr. Bonasera is not answering. He seemed to be having some sort of a mental breakdown," Amy said at once.

Carter looked a bit thrown off by the abrupt answer but knocked on Faber's door. "Mr. Bonasera? Sir? Is everything alright?" When there was no answer, he reached into his pocket to pull out a small gold card that had the words 'MASTER KEY' in black bolded letters on it.

He swiped it across the lock and the locked beeped open. Carter opened the door cautiously, calling for Faber as he went. It was dark in the compartment and Rose, who was the closest to the light switch, flicked it on.

As light flooded the compartment, they saw Faber Bonasera lying on the bed with his throat slashed from ear to ear. Rose clapped her hands to her mouth to muffle her scream, Amy gasped loudly but it was Carter who yelled loudly, shaking in terror as he took in the gory sight.

"Rory, get him to calm down," said the Doctor, his jaw clenched grimly as he gazed at Faber's corpse. Rory, who had been staring in horror at the macabre scene, shook himself and led Carter out of the compartment.

"What in the hell happened here?" asked Amy, wincing at how hoarse she sounded.

"I don't know," said the Doctor, through clenched teeth.

"What is that?" Rose asked, pointing to the other bed in the compartment. It had a red fabric of some sort thrown on it.

The Doctor walked towards it and lifted it up slowly. "It's a kimono," he said, sounding taken aback. "A woman's red kimono." He noticed Amy and Rose looking incredulous but he walked towards the body and observed it quickly. "Amy, Rose," he said, his voice sharp and focused. "Return to the dining room and get Carter to gather all of the first class passengers in there."

"What? Why?" asked Amy.

The Doctor reached into his pocket to pull out the psychic paper. "Tell them Inspector Smith from Applepond is in charge of investigating this poor man's death," he said, without taking his eyes off Faber. "And I want to question everybody."

"You sure we can't help here?" Rose asked.

"Rory will be more helpful here," said the Doctor. "I need you two to observe all the passengers discreetly. Rose, you are good with people and Amy, you are used to questioning people. Just watch them and see if any of them seem guilty."

Amy and Rose nodded and left quickly. Rory re-entered the compartment when the girls took Carter away with them to gather the rest of the passengers. The horrific sight made him wince quietly. The Doctor beckoned him in. "What do you think?" he asked.

It was pretty obvious to Rory. The single stroke of the blade had severed Faber's carotid artery and he had bled out very quickly. The blood staining the white sheets indicated that he had been lying down when he was killed. Everything else in the compartment was undisturbed. In fact, the only oddity was the red kimono on the other bed.

Faber had been travelling alone and considering the state he was in after his wife's death, Rory found it hard to believe that he would be with another woman. The Doctor seemed to agree with him on that, at least.

"How did they escape?" he asked when the Doctor had been quiet for a long moment after Rory's assessments. "We were right behind Faber. D-Do you think it was suicide?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Not possible," he said.

"Why not?" asked Rory. "He looked pretty awful when he burst in on me and Amy. Plus, you saw how much he was drinking during supper. That stuff is potent. Believe me, I would know," he said, thinking of the drink that he had sampled briefly.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the last part but then seemed to realise that there were bigger matters at hand. "It can't have been suicide," he said. "I am certain of it."

"What makes you so sure?" Rory persisted.

"If he did kill himself, where is the weapon he used to do it, hmm?" asked the Doctor, with an air of slight superiority.

Rory's brow furrowed. The Doctor was right; there was no sign of weapon. There was no blood on anything else that might indicate that it had been used to kill Faber. Rory weakly suggested that Faber might have thrown it out of the window, only to have the Doctor smile at him in amusement.

It only took Rory a moment to remember that they were in space and the ensuing embarrassment made him blush redder than the Doctor had ever seen him. He hastily changed the subject and suggested that the murderer might be still carrying it on their person. The Doctor's response was to point out that a murderer that escapes from a locked compartment is hardly likely to still carry the weapon.

"Well, what then?" Rory asked, slightly frustrated. "What do you think happened?"

The Doctor stared at him thoughtfully. "Mr. Bonasera comes to your compartment, passing all of the compartments on the way. He knocks and asks for your help. But before you can do that, he runs back and locks himself into his own compartment. We are right behind him and when we get the door open, we find him dead." He stroked his chin as he paced around the compartment. "The most logical explanation was that the murderer was waiting for him in his compartment."

"But how did they escape then?" asked Rory persistently.

"I am not sure yet, though I do have some ideas," said the Doctor. "We should see what Amy and Rose have deduced. Come along, Rory."

~

When Rose and Amy got to the dining car, they found Kramer still sitting at the same table that he, Janelle and Rory had eaten supper at. He was sipping a glass of whiskey, looking slightly melancholic.

"Evening ladies," he greeted politely when he saw them enter. "Good to see I'm not the only one burning the midnight oil." Then he caught sight of their grim expressions and raised his eyebrows. "Is everything alright?"

"There's been a murder," said Rose quietly.

Kramer's eyes widened as he stood up at once. "Who?" he demanded.

"Mr. Bonasera," said Amy. "Carter is waking the rest of the passengers."

"I must go to Janelle," said Kramer but Amy blocked his way.

"You are all to stay here until the Doctor can question everyone," she said firmly.

"And just who is the Doctor to do that?" Dr. Greenfield asked as he entered the dining car. He was wearing an expensive-looking silk dressing gown and a grumpy expression on his face.

"Inspector Smith from Applepond," said Rose, her initial fondness for the man starting to evaporate. "He's a galaxy-wide famous detective."

"How have I never heard of him then?" asked Dr. Greenfield, with a slight sneer.

"That's not our problem now, is it?" asked Amy, her tone final.

Dr. Greenfield scowled but said nothing. Janelle and Keira entered together, both of them still in their dinner clothes. "Carter said that Mr. Bonasera is dead. Is it true?" Keira asked.

"Yes," answered Amy. "Where's your grandmother?"

"She's just putting away something in the luggage car," said Keira. "She will be along shortly."

Janelle gave a sob and ran into Kramer's arms, who held her close and tried to shush her. Her sobs turned into wails and everyone looked uncomfortable at the scene. Valerie Richmond emerged into the dining car, dressed in a silk robe and wearing a glower that could have set any number of children crying.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded. "Why are we being held here?"

"I can answer that," said the Doctor as he and Rory came into the dining car. "A man was murdered, just mere minutes ago. As of now, you are all suspects."


	7. The Space Mystery: The Investigation

_Previously_

_Valerie Richmond emerged into the dining car, dressed in a silk robe and wearing a glower that could have set any number of children crying._

_"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded. "Why are we being held here?"_

_"I can answer that," said the Doctor as he and Rory came into the dining car. "A man was murdered, just mere minutes ago. As of now, you are all suspects."_

Carter had led the Doctor to an empty compartment in the first class which would be used as an interrogation room. The Doctor had Rose with him while he interviewed the different people. Rory was tasked with guarding the scene of the crime and as a precaution, had Amy's sonic blaster tucked into his suit jacket. Better safe than sorry, in case the murderer returned.

Amy was keeping an eye on everyone in the dining room. The Doctor had told her to report any odd behaviour among the passengers, especially after they had been interviewed.

The first one to be interviewed was Kramer Pollock. He nodded at the Doctor and Rose as he entered the compartment and took a seat. "Before you ask me anything, I just want to say that I should be allowed a counsel," he said.

"As long as you have nothing to hide, you won't need counsel," said the Doctor with a slight smile. "Now, where were you during the time the crime was committed?"

"I was in the dining car," said Kramer, without a hint of nervousness. "I had stayed there the whole time following supper."

"Can anyone verify that?" Rose asked.

"Yes," said Kramer, sounding a tad smug. "The server who was bringing me drinks."

Rose pursed her lips and looked at the Doctor. The Doctor kept his eyes on Kramer and reclined back in his seat. "Why are you marrying Janelle, Kramer?" he asked bluntly.

Kramer glared at the Doctor. "I don't see how it is any of your business," he snarled.

The Doctor didn't respond, nor did he ask anything further on the matter. "Did you know Faber Bonasera before you met him today?" he asked instead.

Kramer looked taken aback at the abrupt change in the topic but collected himself. "No," he answered.

The Doctor watched him steadily. "Very well, do you recognise this?" he asked, showing him the red kimono.

Kramer's eyes widened just a fraction before his expression went neutral. "No, I do not," he said.

"Thank you," said the Doctor with a wide smile. "You may leave."

Kramer looked a bit suspicious but got up and left quickly. As soon as the door had closed behind him, the Doctor turned to Rose. "Well?" he asked.

"He was lying when he said that he didn't know the kimono," said Rose at once. "Wasn't he?"

"Very good, Rose," nodded the Doctor. "I rather suspect that it belongs to Janelle Lombardi."

"What was Janelle doing in Faber's compartment?" asked Rose, confused.

"Let's ask her when the time comes," said the Doctor. "It's Keira Richmond's turn next."

~

Amy was quietly observing the people in the compartment. Valerie Richmond was still ranting about various lawsuits she was going to file against the Law Enforcement Officials on Applepond. She was not exactly being quiet and poor Keira Richmond had the job of trying to calm her grandmother.

Amy pitied the girl a bit. Valerie was worse than a child throwing a tantrum and no matter how much Keira tried, she would not stop. Amy briefly considered bounding and gagging Valerie to a chair but she was here as an observer only, as the Doctor had told her.

She had tried to swap jobs with Rory; she would prefer standing guard over dealing with rich snobs any day. But Rory had shaken his head with a smile that screamed 'not a chance'. He had even less patience than her when it came to dealing with people like these. Sometimes she wondered how he was a nurse if he couldn't stand difficult people.

Dr. Greenfield was smoking his cigars at an alarming rate, making Amy cringe a little. Those cigars needed to be savoured and smoked leisurely, not burnt through like common cigarettes. He wasn't talking to anyone now, just staring off into space.

"Hello," Janelle said as she walked up to Amy.

"Hi," said Amy shortly. She had heard from Rory that the girl was fond of talking too much about her wedding, which meant that it automatically put her on Amy's list of people to stay away from.

"So, how long will Kramer be?" she asked.

"He'll be back once he answers the Doctor's questions," said Amy.

"Do you think Kramer killed Mr. Bonasera?" Janelle asked.

Amy stared at her. She had been hysterical before but now she just sounded fascinated. "I-I don't know," said Amy, still a bit wary of the sudden mood change in Janelle.

"I think this is so much fun," said Janelle, in a low yet excited voice. "This is just like one of Agatha Christie's mysteries."

Amy nodded uncertainly, wondering if there was something wrong with that girl. She was fortunately spared from answering when Kramer burst into the dining car. "Jan!" he called and beckoned her imperiously.

Janelle flitted over to his side at once and he led her to a quiet corner. Amy watched them carefully, noting that Kramer was saying something rapidly to Janelle who was shaking her head repeatedly. Finally, Kramer gave up and barked at one of the servers to get him a fresh drink. Janelle looked miserable and Amy felt a little sorry for the girl, despite everything.

Being so absorbed in observing Kramer and Janelle, Amy had missed Keira leaving for her interview with the Doctor and Rose. There was no one to monitor Valerie who was still naming every lawyer she was going to contact as soon as the train got to Applepond.

Amy took a deep breath and started reciting the most lewd versions of Christmas Carols under her breath. Her mum used to berate her for it but Amy and her dad always found them hilarious. It passed the time nicely, in any case and stopped Amy from wanting to throttle someone.

~

"Ms. Richmond, can you account for your whereabouts during the time of the murder?" the Doctor asked.

"I was with Janelle in her compartment. After supper, she asked me to join her for a glass of wine and some gossip," said Keira coolly.

"You know her then?" Rose asked.

Keira nodded slowly. "Yes, I have known her since we were children," she answered. "When her parents died, I was only 13."

"What do you think of Kramer, Keira?" asked the Doctor.

Keira's nostrils flared. "Janelle loves him," she answered carefully.

"That's not what I asked," said the Doctor, giving her a slightly penetrating look.

Keira looked unsettled for a moment before huffing. "Fine!" she said. "If you must know, Kramer and I dated for a long time. I introduced him to Janelle."

"He left you for her?" Rose asked, her eyes wide. "That couldn't have been easy."

"No, it wasn't," said Keira, glaring at both of them. "What does this have to do with the murder?"

"Did you know Mr. Bonasera?" asked the Doctor.

"No," said Keira. "I mean, I had heard of him. He is a very famous lawyer. Was," she corrected with a frown. "He took on almost impossible cases and had an impeccable win record."

"Thank you, Ms. Richmond," said the Doctor graciously. Keira nodded and stood up. As she turned to go, the Doctor drew out his sonic screwdriver. "Think fast!" he yelled and threw it at Keira. She snapped around and caught the sonic screwdriver in her right hand. The Doctor smiled widely at her. "Wonderful," he said. "May I have it back?" Keira gave him the screwdriver back, staring at him like he was mad. So was Rose, for that matter. The Doctor grinned, unashamed. "I apologise for my moment of whimsy," he said smoothly.

Keira shot him a look and left. Rose waited until the doors closed to look questioningly at him. "What was that about?" she asked.

"Not important," said the Doctor cheerfully. "So, tell me what you thought."

"She wasn't flirting with you anymore," said Rose.

"Correct," said the Doctor. "She was only doing that around Kramer Pollock."

"She wanted to make him jealous," said Rose. "I guess that makes sense."

"Only to you lot, it does," said the Doctor, shaking his head. "I will never understand you humans."

Rose rolled her eyes but didn't dignify that with a response. "Who's next?"

"Janelle," answered the Doctor. "This should be interesting."

~

Rory was bored out of his mind and beginning to regret not taking Amy up on her offer to swap jobs. At least she was around people instead of standing alone in a corridor outside a dead man's compartment. With the dead man still inside it.

He leaned against the closed door and banged his head on it a few times. His mind ran through the different suspects but he had no idea who could be responsible. Who could escape locked doors and get past them unseen and unheard?

He had flippantly suggested to the Doctor that maybe the murderer had used a teleport to escape and the Doctor had given him a look that made Rory feel like he had just dribbled on his shirt. Then, the Doctor had launched into the history of the entire galaxy, talking about how there had been no teleports in this star system or the next for at least another century.

He sighed and let his gaze drop to the ground. He saw some sort of grey ash on the floor outside the compartment and his brow furrowed. He bent down and examined it. He was half tempted to sniff it but he couldn't be sure that it wasn't something poisonous.

He reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper. Using it, he carefully scooped up a pinch of the grey ash. The Doctor would know what it was, he realised and pocketed it. He just had to wait until he was no longer needed to guard Faber's body.

That time couldn't come soon enough.

~

"...and we are even on a train called 'The Orient Express'. I mean, it is so amazing. It's such a coincidence..." Even the normally patient Doctor looked at the end of his tether as Janelle rambled on and on.

"Janelle," Rose interrupted, feeling the beginning of a headache. She had spent the evening being rambled at by Dr. Greenfield and now Janelle seemed to be channelling him in full force. Not to mention the Doctor had been running his gob as usual. It was a wonder Rose hadn't gone deaf. "Can you answer the question?"

"Sorry, what was it that you asked?" asked Janelle sheepishly.

"Was Keira with you?" repeated the Doctor.

"Oh, oh yes," Janelle nodded. "We left the dining car together and went to my compartment. We had some wine and caught up on girl talk."

"Did you know Mr. Bonasera?" asked Rose.

"No," said Janelle. "But I was told that he was very famous on Snowdell."

"Do you recognise this, Ms. Lombardi?" asked the Doctor, holding up the kimono.

"That's my kimono from the 3940 Geraldi Nippon Revival collection," exclaimed Janelle. "How did you get that?"

"It's yours?" asked Rose.

"Yes. It's one of a kind," said Janelle. "It was in my luggage. How did you get it?"

"Your luggage? Meaning in the luggage car?" asked the Doctor.

"Of course," said Janelle. "My overnight bag was full so I had to put it in my bigger bags."

"We found it next to Faber's body," said Rose.

Janelle stared at her before giving a loud wail and bursting into noisy tears. Exchanging a shocked look with the Doctor, Rose moved to comfort her. "Oh no," Janelle sobbed. "That is horrible." Rose patted her arm awkwardly as she sobbed loudly. "Kramer was telling the truth then. He accused me of having an affair with Mr. Bonasera."

"And were you?" asked the Doctor. "Having an affair, I mean."

Rose shot him a look but Janelle shook her head. "Of course not," she said at once. "I love Kramer. We are soul mates. I would never cheat on him."

"Doesn't it bother you that you are friends with Keira who is Kramer's ex?" asked Rose.

"Keira and Kramer have been over a long time ago," said Janelle, quite calm now. "Kramer told me he doesn't love her like he loves me and Keira is over him."

"Thanks for answering our questions, Ms. Lombardi," said the Doctor. "You are free to go."

Janelle stood up and beamed at him. "Thank you," she said and flounced off.

"Is it me, or does she seem to have really wild mood swings?" asked Rose, once she had gone.

"I was hoping you noticed it," said the Doctor. "It's curious, isn't it?"

"Curious, weird, same thing," muttered Rose. "How many more to go?"

"Just Valerie and Dr. Greenfield to go," said the Doctor.

"Why not Carter?" asked Rose.

"He was with us the whole time," said the Doctor. "Besides, the poor lad is innocent."

Rose stared at the Doctor. "You know who killed Faber, don't you?" she asked, shrewdly.

The Doctor's lips lifted into a smile. "I haven't questioned everyone yet," he said.

Rose shook her head. "But you still know, don't you?" she persisted.

The Doctor tapped her nose playfully. "Just between you and me," he said. "I have a very good idea. But I need to make sure of some facts first."

"Come on," said Rose, nudging his shoulder with her own. "Give us a clue."

"Patience, my Rose," he said, shaking his head and smiling benignly at her.

A throat cleared and the Doctor and Rose turned away from each other to see Dr. Greenfield in the doorway. "I hope I am not intruding," he said sarcastically.

"Dr. Greenfield, have a seat," said the Doctor, slightly coolly. "Could you please tell us where you were when the murder occurred?"

"I was in my compartment, getting ready for bed," he answered shortly. "And before you ask, I was alone."

"Did you know Mr. Bonasera before today?" the Doctor asked.

"No, why should I?" asked Dr. Greenfield.

The Doctor reached into his coat and pulled out a bunch of papers. "Do you recognise this?" he asked.

Tristan Greenfield took the papers and went slightly pale. They were legal papers. His hands shook slightly as he put them down. ""Where...where did you find these?"

"So you knew that Mr. Bonasera was filing a lawsuit against you for negligence during his wife's surgery," said the Doctor.

"I knew," nodded Tristan, sounding tired.

"Did you come on this train to stop him from going ahead with the lawsuit?" asked Rose.

"No," he answered in the same tired voice. "I had no idea he was going to be here. I was..." he shook his head.

"You were running away," guessed the Doctor.

Tristan nodded, ashamed. "I have already had four lawsuits filed against me. The hospital can no longer afford to have me on staff. Applepond was my chance to escape."

"Did Faber confront you?" asked the Doctor.

"No," he said. "I don't even think he recognised me. I had only seen him once and he was grieving at the time."

"Thank you, Dr. Greenfield," said the Doctor.

Tristan stood up. "I'm going to prison, huh?" he asked, sounding resigned.

"Not if you didn't kill Faber," said the Doctor.

Tristan nodded and left. Rose stared at the Doctor. "How did you know?" she asked.

"I found the papers on Faber," he answered. "Remember how Tristan kept talking all the time?"

"Do I ever?" Rose murmured sarcastically.

"He was trying to distract everyone from questioning him too much," said the Doctor, ignoring the jibe. "He wanted to be sure that no one would realise that he was running away from his responsibilities."

"Did he kill Faber?" asked Rose.

Before the Doctor could answer, the door flung open and Valerie stood glaring at them. "Well?" she asked. "Get on with your questions then," she said, seating herself with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Good evening, Valerie," said the Doctor charmingly. Valerie's demeanour softened slightly at his tone. "If you'd be so kind to account for your whereabouts, I would appreciate it."

Rose had to hand it to the Doctor. He was being the perfect mix of cunning and charming to wheedle information out of Valerie. It seemed to be working too, since Valerie immediately started talking.

"After supper, I retired to my compartment. I was on my own the whole time," she said.

"Why were you in the luggage car when the alarm was raised?" asked Rose.

Valerie fidgeted slightly. "When I heard the commotion outside, I went to check up on my valuables," she said. "I was afraid that something might have been stolen."

"And was there?" asked the Doctor.

Valerie met his eyes. "An ornate dagger is missing," she said. "It is about sixteen inches with a maridium blade and gold handle. The handle has rubies studded into it."

"Why didn't you say anything until now?" asked Rose as the Doctor fell into deep thought.

"I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I had noticed," snapped Valerie. "It was there before supper and is gone now meaning that could very well be the murder weapon. I didn't want to alert the murderer."

"Wise decision," said the Doctor. "I will ask you to keep this between us for now, Valerie."

"As you wish," nodded Valerie.

"Thank you for your help, Valerie," said the Doctor. "I'll walk you back."

Valerie nodded gratefully as the Doctor stood up and led her out. He noticed Rose's confused look but he shook his head and mouthed Get Rory to her. Rose nodded and left towards Faber's compartment.

The Doctor left Valerie at the door of the dining car and was turning around to look for Rose and Rory when he heard a faint sound. His brow furrowed as he realised that it was coming from the core to the Key to Time. The Doctor drew it out of his coat and held it in front of him.

The signal was no longer pointing to the luggage car. The Doctor followed the sound and it became louder when he came to one of the compartments. He tried the door but it was locked. Using his sonic screwdriver, he entered the compartment.

The core got louder and the Doctor moved the pillow aside to find the ornate dagger covered in blood lying on the bed. The Doctor did not touch the core to the dagger, knowing that he needed the proof before he could revert the key back to the original form. He tucked the core back into his coat and used a handkerchief to lift up the dagger.

He knew whose compartment this was and his suspicions were now confirmed. He knew exactly who the killer was.


	8. The Space Mystery: The Reveal

_Previously_

_The Doctor left Valerie at the door of the dining car and was turning around to look for Rose and Rory when he heard a faint sound. His brow furrowed as he realised that it was coming from the core to the Key to Time. The Doctor drew it out of his coat and held it in front of him._

_The signal was no longer pointing to the luggage car. The Doctor followed the sound and it became louder when he came to one of the compartments. He tried the door but it was locked. Using his sonic screwdriver, he entered the compartment._

_The core got louder and the Doctor moved the pillow aside to find the ornate dagger covered in blood lying on the bed. The Doctor did not touch the core to the dagger, knowing that he needed the proof before he could revert the key back to the original form. He tucked the core back into his coat and used a handkerchief to lift up the dagger._

_He knew whose compartment this was and his suspicions were now confirmed. He knew exactly who the killer was._

In the dining car, all the first class passengers, including the Doctor's companions and Carter sat at a circular table. The Doctor was the only one not seated. He was circling the table slowly, his hands clasped behind his back.

Rory was beginning to get nervous. The Doctor's demeanour was calm and his face was so expressionless that it was unnerving. He had walked into the dining car ten minutes ago and ordered everyone to sit down. He hadn't spoken a word since.

He looked at Amy who was seated on his right and realised that she too was tense and looked ready to spring. He had shown the grey ash to the Doctor and he had given it a quick sniff before nodding but hadn't elaborated. Amy met his eyes and he recognised the questioning look. She wanted to know what the Doctor's game was. Rory shrugged at her and nodded towards Rose.

Rose was at Amy's right, and she was looking just as restless as them. She saw Amy's questioning glance and shrugged. The Doctor was making everyone nervous with his quiet pacing. Neither of them had any idea. 

It was Kramer who broke the silence. "What is going on?" he demanded finally.

The Doctor stopped in his pacing and met Kramer's gaze. "I do apologise," he said pleasantly. "I tend to lose track of time when I am with my thoughts. You know how that must be." At Kramer's incredulous look, he tilted his head. "No, I don't suppose you would."

Kramer evidently gathered that he was being insulted and began to rise furiously from his chair. "Now look here..."

"The purpose of us gathering here," the Doctor spoke loudly over him. "Is to find out who killed Faber Bonasera."

"Did you find out who the murderer is?" Janelle asked eagerly.

The atmosphere at the table became even tenser, if that was possible. The Doctor nodded slowly. "The killer," he paused, injecting as much disgust as he could into the word 'killer'. "The killer is at this very table."

"Outrageous!"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Valerie. "Do you really think so?" he asked her critically.  
Valerie opened her mouth but then closed it again. She had evidently remembered that there was a priceless dagger missing.

Watching her fall quiet, the Doctor proceeded. "Mr. Bonasera was killed with a single stroke of a blade. He bled out. But the question is, who wanted him dead?" The Doctor paused. "Rory."

Rory jumped slightly. "W-What?" he asked nervously.

"What did Mr. Bonasera say when he came to you?" asked the Doctor.

Rory looked slightly relieved before answering. "He asked for our help. He said he was in danger."

"Precisely," said the Doctor. "What would have put such fear in a man as ruthless as Mr. Bonasera was reputed to be? The answer, of course, was that someone had threatened his life. And the threat was severe enough for him to worry about. When he came to seek help from us, the killer panicked and took refuge in Faber's compartment."

"So when Faber went back in, the murderer killed him," said Rose. "But then how did the killer escape? We were right behind Faber and the door was locked."

"Always asking the right questions, Rose Tyler," said the Doctor, smiling at her. "Amy, what do you think? How did the killer escape?"

Before Amy could answer, Kramer made a sound of displeasure. "What is this, 'show and tell'?" he demanded. "Get on with it."

The Doctor glared coolly at him. "I will," he said. "In my own time. Amy?"

"I don't know," said Amy, honestly.

"Do you know what? I don't either," said the Doctor and everyone gaped at him incredulously. "But I suppose we should simply ask the killer. Dr. Greenfield, if you will."

Tristan stared at the Doctor. "What are you on about? I don't know," he said indignantly.

"Oh come now," said the Doctor, his gaze cold as he looked at him. "I know you killed Faber."

"This is preposterous!" yelled Tristan as he jumped to his feet.

The Doctor glared at him. "Faber was suing you for negligence during his wife's surgery. He was one of the best attorneys around Snowdell and he would have been successful. And you would have been penniless and completely ruined."

"Alright yes, but I did not kill him!" shouted Tristan.

"After supper, you followed him to the luggage car and told him to withdraw his case or you would kill him," continued the Doctor mercilessly. "Faber had been drinking and was unstable which meant that he panicked and rushed to Rory for help. You had no choice, you had to run. So, you hid in Faber's compartment and killed him when he came in."

"You're just spinning wild tales," yelled Tristan. "Where's the proof?"

"Ash," said the Doctor. "From the cigars you have been smoking. I found traces in the luggage car as well as outside Faber's compartment. And then, there is the murder weapon." The Doctor pulled out the dagger wrapped in the handkerchief and placed it on the table.

There were gasps from almost everyone as they saw the blood-soaked dagger. Tristan stared at in horror. "I have never seen it before," he said, looking pale.

"It originally belonged to Valerie," said the Doctor, inclining his head towards her. "But you stole it when Faber ran to us. You didn't count on the alarm being raised so quickly which was why you did not have time to hide the weapon. I found this in your compartment," he said, glaring at Tristan.

"Someone is setting me up!" yelled Tristan. "I did not kill Faber Bonasera!"

"Oh no," said the Doctor ruthlessly. "You were the one who was doing the setting up. You grabbed the first piece of clothing you found in the luggage car which happened to be Janelle Lombardi's kimono which she had packed in her bigger luggage at the last minute. You thought that if I found that, I would suspect Janelle rather than you."

Kramer put a protective arm around Janelle as she gasped and stared at Tristan in horror.  
"This is not true!" Tristan shouted.

 

"Enough," said the Doctor coldly. "If you won't confess and tell us how you escaped, then we'll just arrest you now and you can confess when we get to Applepond. Amy, if you will."

Amy stood up and pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her purse. Tristan was staring at the Doctor in horror and disbelief as Amy handcuffed him. "You are making a mistake," he said, his voice shaking. "I am innocent."

The Doctor watched him in disgust. "Get him out of my sight," he said. "Lock him in one of the compartments."

Rory jumped up to help Amy as they led Tristan out of the dining car. The Doctor grimaced as they disappeared down the corridor. "That's the end of that ghastly business," he said. He looked at the remaining passengers. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Tristan talks about how he got out of Faber's compartment. He will pay for his crime."

Janelle and Kramer nodded while Valerie was still staring at the dagger. "It has been in the Richmond family for centuries. Now, it is ruined," she said mournfully.

"Don't touch it," said the Doctor when she extended her hand towards it. "That is evidence."

"Surely, Doctor," began Valerie but the Doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Valerie," he said, picking up the dagger still wrapped in the handkerchief. "No one touches it." As he lifted the dagger away, the tip of the blade grazed Keira Richmond's arm and an angry red welt appeared on her skin for a moment before vanishing.

She realised that her game was up the same moment that the Doctor dropped a blue energy cell around her, trapping her inside. She reverted into her original form and let loose a shriek of anger.

"What the hell?" Rose yelled, looking at 'Keira'. "What is she?" The pretty brunette had transformed into a creature with a long grey body, limp green hair and vicious red eyes. Her mouth was open and sharp, pointy teeth were visible as she snarled at them.

"A siren," said the Doctor grimly as he watched her yell and scream inside the energy cell. "A creature of chaos."

"That is not..." Valerie sounded faint. "My granddaughter. What has happened to her?"

"I'm sorry, Valerie but I'm afraid your granddaughter never left Snowdell. The siren was impersonating her," said the Doctor, gently.

"Is she...my real Keira...is she okay?" Valerie asked, still staring horror-struck at the thrashing siren.

"Yes, I should think so," said the Doctor.

"How-how did you know she was a siren?" asked Kramer, holding a distressed Janelle close.

"I didn't know for sure until I had finished interviewing everyone," said the Doctor. He saw Amy and Rory re-entering the dining car, looking upon the scene in horror and surprise. "Ah, Amy, Rory, if you could release Tristan, I assure you he is quite innocent."

"Tristan did not kill Faber then?" Rose asked.

"No, of course not," said the Doctor gently. "The man is many things but a killer is not one of them. Tristan," he said to the recently freed man who looked shocked. "I apologise for putting you through that ordeal. But I had to make the siren lower her guard to trap her."

"What's a siren?" Tristan asked, aghast.

"It's a creature that feeds off chaos," said the Doctor. "They trap and beguile people, and once they are under their submission, they feed off their life force until they die."

"A parasite then," Rory realised.

"Of the worst kind," the Doctor agreed, glaring at the siren who was now hissing at him angrily.

"She must have latched onto Faber then," said Amy.

"She did," nodded the Doctor. "But Faber broke through the spell. Remember he seemed so guilty during supper? He was feeling guilty for failing his wife and getting close to another woman so soon after her death. That's why he was leaving Snowdell behind. Guilt," said the Doctor softly. "It's a very powerful emotion."

"That's why he was so hysterical when he came to us," said Rory. "He realised what the siren truly was."

"But why kill him?" asked Rose. "He couldn't have harmed her."

The Doctor stared at the siren's red eyes. "It's because of me, isn't it?" he said. "You knew who I was and what I would do if I knew who you were."

"Yes, I know who you are!" hissed the siren angrily. "Interfering Time Lord of Gallifrey. You would have killed me the minute you knew who I was."

"How did you know?" asked Amy.

"During supper, I noticed that 'Keira' was left-handed," said the Doctor. "Later at the end of our interrogation, I threw my screwdriver at her and she caught it in her right hand."

"So?" asked Kramer.

"She hurt her left hand when she used the dagger to kill Faber, just like when the tip touched her just now," said the Doctor as he held up the dagger. "Maridium is harmful to sirens. Just a single touch can be toxic and prolonged contact can kill them."

The siren was staring at the dagger in fear as if expecting to be impaled by it. Rose turned to the Doctor. "What about the cigar ash? And Janelle's kimono?" she asked.

"Like I said before, it was to cause confusion," said the Doctor. "The siren thought the blame would get pushed onto one of them. Most likely to Tristan since she left the bloodied dagger in his compartment."

"But she had an alibi," Rose pointed out.

Janelle, who still looked quite shell-shocked, nodded. "She was with me the whole time. We drank wine and caught up on girl talk."

Rose stared at her in horror. She had repeated herself almost word for word. The Doctor glanced sympathetically at Janelle. "I am so sorry," he said. "She put you in a trance. That is why you have been having so many mood swings. It's your mind trying to fight the siren's influence."

Janelle burst into tears and Kramer looked at the Doctor helplessly. "How can I stop it?" he asked.

"She will heal," said the Doctor gently. "Given time and care." Kramer nodded and held her closer.

"How did she escape from the compartment after killing Faber?" asked Amy finally.

"Sirens are powerful creatures," said the Doctor gravely. "They can transform themselves into literally any physical form. She could have made herself invisible and slipped past us."

The siren looked a bit put out which made them realise that the Doctor had been right in his guess. "What do we do with her now?" asked Rory.

Fear flashed across the siren's face as she looked at the dagger that the Doctor was holding. "I'm not going to kill you," said the Doctor, guessing her look. "I happen to know an excellent prison in the Prism galaxy that houses sirens. We'll simply take you there."

The siren began to laugh loudly. The horrible sound raised the hairs on their arms. "Captivity?" she asked. "You grow weak in your old age, Doctor."

"Not really," he said sadly. "Just more merciful."

"Your mercy means nothing to me, Time Lord," she hissed. "I have failed my purpose. And now I shall die."

The words caught up to the Doctor but before he could deactivate the energy holding cell, the siren had drawn out a vial of milky liquid from her dress and downed it quickly. "NO!" the Doctor yelled but the siren smiled mockingly at him and fell to the floor, dead.

The stunned silence was broken when the train came to a stop. "We're here," said Carter who had been silent the whole time. "We're at Applepond."

~

The return train from Applepond to Snowdell did not leave for another two hours. The Doctor and his companions had bidden a hasty retreat once the train had got to Applepond, knowing that the Doctor was not really Inspector Smith. Rory felt a bit guilty about leaving such a huge mess behind but the Doctor assured him that human beings were good at coping and they would be sure to come up with a proper story to explain the bizarre events onboard the Orient Express.

At the moment, the Doctor and Amy were seated at a table in a small cafe while Rose and Rory fetched some food and drinks for all of them. Amy had been quiet the whole time but when they were alone, she leaned in close. "You heard what the siren said, didn't you? She said she failed her purpose."

"Yes I did," the Doctor said, looking thoughtful. "But I didn't think you did."

"I had heard about sirens," said Amy, not taking offence. "They are creatures of chaos, like you said. Maybe even an agent of chaos."

The Doctor glanced at her with shrewd eyes. "Well done, Pond," he praised. He looked back towards the counter where Rose and Rory were placing their orders and lowered his voice. "I do agree that the siren could have been sent by the Black Guardian."

"He is not messing around, is he?" said Amy, trying to keep her tone light.

The Doctor did not smile. "Yes, the White Guardian did warn me about it. We should be more careful from now on," he said. "Keep this between us for now," he added hastily as he saw Rose and Rory returning to their table.

"Hey, what're you guys talking about?" Rose asked as she and Rory sat down.

"Nothing, just the usual," smiled Amy casually.

"So, what happened to the segment of the Key?" Rory asked. "Did you actually find it?"

"Ah yes," said the Doctor as he drew out the dagger from his coat.

"How'd you manage to steal that?" Rose asked. "I would have thought that Valerie would have demanded it back."

"She was a bit distracted after the events," said the Doctor. "And rather eager to check up on her real granddaughter."

"That is the segment, is it?" Amy asked, looking at the dagger.

The Doctor smiled as he placed it on the table and then touched it with the core to the Key to Time. The dagger shimmered for a moment before transforming into the second segment of the key. With a satisfied smirk, the Doctor tucked the core and the segment back into his pocket. "See," he said. "Easy as ever."

His companions chuckled at his proclamation. Easy had nothing to do with the quest to the Key to Time. But they admired his optimism.

"Two down, four to go," said Rory as they began to tuck into their food.


	9. The Gogan Colonisation: Goga

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Drahvins were the main villains of the First Doctor story 'Galaxy 4' and were recently mentioned as part of the Pandorica Alliance in 'The Pandorica Opens'.

_The earliest known rulers of Gallifrey were the Pythia. They were telepathic beings who were very powerful and had the ability to see the future. Their time travel abilities were strictly primitive and unsuccessful. Yet even without time travel, they were feared throughout the universe._

_To end their rule of tyranny, the last Pythia cursed the Gallifreyans with infertility and committed suicide. Further details of this history were locked away in the Black Scrolls of Rassilon and are forbidden knowledge._

Rose flicked the page to the chapter on Rassilon.

_Rassilon was one of the main founders of the Time Lord society. Following Pythia's curse, he developed the technology of looms which would produce the new generation of Gallifreyans. He created houses and the Academy to ensure that the new Gallifreyans (more commonly known as Time Lords) would not turn into tyrants like their ancestors._

_Rassilon was assisted by Omega._

Rose stopped reading and turned to the part about Omega.

_Omega was an intergalactic engineer who revolutionised the notion of time travel by exploding a star and using it to boost Gallifrey's energy reserves. Gallifreyans now had time travel but Omega paid the ultimate price by sacrificing himself into the blackhole created by the stellar explosion. It was Rassilon and the Other who brought the Eye of Harmony to Gallifrey which fuels all forms of time travel for the Time Lords to this day._

_Gotcha_ , Rose thought as she saw the part about the Other. She hastily flicked the pages to find the chapter on the Other.

_There is no account of the Other's true name but it was said that he was unlike any Gallifreyan of the time. His intellect was on par with Rassilon and Omega yet it was rumoured that he despised the notion of a strict Time Lord society. He wished for time travel to be used as a means of fighting the evil in the universe which went against everything that the new society was based on._

_Apart from his usual bouts of eccentricity, the Other was also distinctive for…_

"Whatcha reading?"

Rose jumped slightly and snapped the book shut. "Nothing," she said, trying not to look too guilty.

"Yeah right," snorted Amy. "You are the worst liar I know. Was it something naughty?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"No," said Rose, rolling her eyes. "It was just history."

"Whose?" asked Amy.

"Gallifrey," answered Rose, not wanting to mention the Other.

Amy glanced at the book. "You can read that?" she asked, in surprise.

Rose looked a bit confused. "Why shouldn't I be able to?"

"It's just a whole bunch of swirls and loops and circles," she answered.

Rose opened the book and flicked through the pages. She could still read it but Amy looked confused, meaning that she couldn't read it. "It must be in Gallifreyan," said Rose. "The TARDIS is translating for me. I don't know why it isn't happening for you."

"Maybe it doesn't like me," said Amy, sounding distinctly put out.

"The Doctor seemed a bit surprised when I told him that the TARDIS translated Gallifreyan for me. He never did explain it properly," said Rose absently. It had to be the TARDIS translating. How else could she read it? She growled in frustration. "Why doesn't that man ever give a straight answer?" she muttered.

"Whoa there, wolfie," said Amy. "Calm down. What's the matter?"

Rose closed the book with a sigh. She had gone in search of the history of the Other because the Bad Wolf defence was the Other's work and Rose found herself curious about him. Why could she activate his defence? She had managed to wheedle out that 'Arkytior' meant 'rose' from the Doctor, but Rose knew it must be deeper than that.

The Doctor hadn't been helpful at all. "It's just a coincidence, Rose. I'm sure that it is nothing to worry about."

Rose looked at Amy. "Did you just call me 'wolfie'?" she asked.

"Yeah," grinned Amy.

"Don't," said Rose, making a face.

Amy laughed. "Fine," she said. "So, what did the good ol' Doc do now?"

Rose shook her head. "Just the usual stuff," she said. "Never mind. Speaking of, where is himself and Rory?"

"Playing Somesian chess," said Amy.

"What's that?" Rose asked in interest.

"Don't really know. I had never even heard of it before now. But so far, Rory keeps beating the Doctor," she giggled.

They heard a loud thud that told them that the TARDIS had arrived somewhere. They glanced at each other in surprise and left the library together, Rose dropping the book on the table as she did. Out in the console room, they found Rory grinning unashamedly while the Doctor did the post-flight checks with a sulky look on his face.

"Have we landed?" Amy asked, looking between the Doctor and Rory.

"Yes," answered the Doctor. "The third segment of the key is at these coordinates."

Amy read the coordinates and smiled. "Oh, this is brilliant," she said.

"You know it?" Rory asked.

"It's the planet of Goga," she answered with a bright grin. "Early 36th century, if I'm reading the coordinates right."

The Doctor made a noise of acknowledgment. "Good thing too," he said. "Goga is at its peak in early 36th century. Wonderfully commercial and without invasions."

"This isn't like the Time Agency situation again, is it?" Rose asked warily. "We're not going to be a catalyst for its decline, are we?"

"You two were the catalyst for the Time Agency breaking up?" Amy asked in surprise.

The Doctor nodded. "We took the CIA's proposition to Captain Harkness," he said. "I'm supposing you were one of the Time Agents afflicted with the disorder that put you in a coma."

Amy nodded. "They never learned the real name of the disorder," she said.

The Doctor and Rose met each other's gaze and smiled. "Better that way," said the Doctor.

Before Amy could ask him to elaborate on that, Rory frowned. "Is this supposed to happen?" he asked, pointing to one of the smaller screens.

Amy, who was the closest to him, walked over and read the screen over his shoulder. "The coordinates have changed," she said, surprised.

The Doctor's brow furrowed. "Read out the new ones," he said.

"12-9-5-2-3," she read out. "That's strange. The space coordinates are the same; it's the time coordinates that have changed."

"The segment has moved through time?" Rose asked in surprise.

"I think so, yes," said the Doctor.

"But that's just the least of our worries right now," said Amy. "Look at the time coordinates. It's not early 36th century anymore. It's the late 38th."

"Oh no," groaned the Doctor.

"Why? What happens in late 38th century?" Rose asked as she and Rory looked curious.

"By this time, Goga has been colonised," said the Doctor.

"By whom?" asked Rory.

Amy and the Doctor exchanged dismayed looks. "The Drahvins."

~

The visitor's arrival centre on Goga was all sleek lines and glass structures. There were rows upon rows of desks where employees were processing the new arrivals. Every single arrival on the planet was monitored and regulated through this centre.

"State your names, relationship status and purpose for the visit," one of the employees asked the couple in front of her.

"Penny Daniels and Naomi van Duren," one of them answered.

"We are married," her wife answered, with a smile. "And we are here to observe your ways and learn."

The employee smiled welcomingly at them. "Welcome to Goga, Penny Daniels and Naomi van Duren. We hope you enjoy your stay in our wonderful society."

The two women nodded and were allowed to leave the visitor's centre. At the other desk, another couple was being processed.

"State your names, relationship status and purpose for the visit."

"Fay Arri and Ben Desmond, we are married and here on our honeymoon," Fay answered with a beaming smile.

The employee nodded. "Kindly make your way to that office," she pointed out.

Fay and Ben exchanged a slightly confused look but went towards the office. A woman sat at the table and she looked up and smiled at them. "Oh do come in," she said. "My name is Bela. You must be Fay Arri and Ben Desmond." At their nods, her smile widened. "May I ask who recommended Goga as a honeymoon destination?" she asked.

"A friend of mine came here with her wife a few years ago," Fay answered.

Bela looked at Ben. "Ben Desmond, kindly observe all the employees at this venue and give us your opinion."

Ben looked confused but looked around the visitor's centre from a window in Bela's office. His eyes widened when he realised that all the employees were female. Not only that but they were dressed in the same blue and white pinafore and had blonde hair tied up in a chignon. There were black dots lining the tops of their eyes. He gulped and looked back at Bela whose smile was distinctly sinister now. Unlike the employees, her pinafore was scarlet and white.

"Male kind are not welcome on Goga," Bela continued in a sweet voice.

Fay and Ben looked horrified but before they could think of leaving, Bela pressed some sort of an alarm. Immediately, two women dressed and looking similar to the employees arrived there. 

"Scan the male," Bela ordered.

One of the guards took out a small, grey scanner and held it at Ben's skull. He yelped in pain as it scanned him. "What are you doing to him?" Fay asked, scared.

"Don't worry, we are only analysing his potential," said Bela sweetly. "If he registers an 89 or higher, he will be processed for mating. If not, he shall be executed." Fay let out a cry but was restrained by one of the guards with a firm hand on her shoulder. "What does he register?" Bela asked.

"76," answered the guard.

"Take him to the execution chamber then," Bela ordered.

"No! Let him go!" Fay shouted as Ben began to struggle. "Help!"

"Calm down, Fay Arri," Bela said soothingly. "You won't be harmed."

"What will you do to me?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"You shall be introduced to our Sisterhood," said Bela comfortingly. "A few days with them and you will realise the kind of animals that male kind are." She nodded at the guards as they took Fay and Ben away in different directions, screaming the whole way.

Bela sighed as they left. _There's gratitude for you_ , she thought. "Next!" she called.

~

"So men are not allowed?" Rose asked.

"Drahvins believe that men use up more resources than they are worth, so they kill them," answered the Doctor with a grimace as he piloted them to the new coordinates. "Only a few are kept alive for the purpose of reproduction."

"Bloody hell," said Rory. "They're like bees."

"That is more accurate than you would believe, Rory," said the Doctor. "Drahvins have a very fixed social structure. There are the Elite, who have names and are recognisable by their scarlet clothing."

"The Elite are usually the leaders, scientists, government officers, so on," explained Amy. "They are actually born from a chosen male and another Elite Drahvin."

"Then there are the slave class who do all the menial work," said the Doctor. "They are identified by their blue clothes. The slave class are artificially grown and have limited intelligence and no concept of free-thinking."

"So, we've got the queen bees and the worker bees and males who are killed after their purpose is over," said Rory with an angry frown.

"That is horrible!" said Rose.

"That's how the Drahvins are," shrugged Amy. "Their planet, Drahva, was destroyed and they have colonised several planets since. Goga is one of the largest Drahvin colonies."

"We have to do something about this, don't we?" asked Rory. "I mean, we can't just let this go on."

The Doctor sighed. "Explain it to them, Amy," he said.

Amy looked at Rose and Rory. "The Drahvin era is fixed in history," she said. "Believe me, I did a lot of work in this time period. Changing this would be like stopping one of your World Wars or unsinking the Titanic."

"Meaning, it would be catastrophic," said the Doctor.

"So we can't do anything?" asked Rose, shocked.

"I'm afraid not," said the Doctor. "We have to get the segment and get out of here. That is all."

"Oh that would be easy," said Rory sarcastically. "Only they would haul us for mating or kill us the moment we step out of the TARDIS."

"Yes, I agree it's a conundrum," said the Doctor.

"What if just Amy and I go?" asked Rose.

"That could work," Amy agreed at once.

The Doctor stared at them in surprise. "No, absolutely not," he said.

"Yeah, what if you need help?" asked Rory, agreeing with the Doctor.

"We can look after ourselves," said Rose. "Amy knows all about this time period and I have got her back."

Amy beamed at her. "Works for me," she nodded.

"It'll be fine," said Rose, looking pleadingly at the Doctor. "We'll take the core and be in and out as quickly as possible."

"Doctor, you can't let them do this," said Rory as the Doctor got a contemplative look on his face.

Amy glared at him. "It's the easiest way. They won't even give us a second glance. We can locate the segment and be here back in time for tea."

The Doctor sighed and unplugged the core from the console. "You locate the segment and bring it back at once," he said, looking at both of them seriously. "First sign of trouble and you come back, understand? The segment is not worth your lives."

Amy and Rose nodded earnestly. "We'll be fine, Doctor," said Amy.

The Doctor nodded in resignation and handed the core over to Rose. "Don't lose this," he warned.

"I won't," said Rose, slipping it inside the pocket of her jacket.

"Alright then," said the Doctor. "I wish you both the best."

"Thanks Doc, we'll be back before you know it," winked Amy. "See you, Rory."

"Yeah, bye," said Rory as Amy and Rose grinned at them and left the TARDIS. "This is a bad idea," he said to the Doctor once they were out of sight.

The Doctor didn't answer. "Come on Rory," he said. "I want a rematch on the Somesian chess."

~

"State your names, relationship status and purpose for the visit."

"I am Amy Pond and this is my wife, Rose Tyler. We are here to visit your wonderful society."

"Welcome Amy Pond and Rose Tyler. We hope you enjoy your stay on Goga."


	10. The Gogan Colonisation: The Portal

_Previously_

_"State your names, relationship status and purpose for the visit."_

_"I am Amy Pond and this is my wife, Rose Tyler. We are here to visit your wonderful society."_

_"Welcome Amy Pond and Rose Tyler. We hope you will enjoy your stay on Goga."_

Goga, for all its faults, was a beautiful planet. The sky was a boring grey and there weren't a lot of trees in sight but the buildings were so tall that their top floors were lost to the clouds. Every building had a glass exterior and they each had a different colour.

The tall building opposite the visitor's arrival centre was a resplendent red and the one next to it was a dark blue. On and on it went with so many different colours that the whole place was shining like a brilliant rainbow crystal. Flying cars zoomed through the air space above the streets and everywhere they looked, they found various humanoid women dressed in many varied ways.

"Which way?" Amy murmured to Rose.

Rose took out the core and held it in front of her. The beeping was muted, so she moved around in a circle slowly. "That way!" said Rose, pointing down the street on their left.

Amy nodded and the two of them began to walk down the street. They passed various vendors selling jewellery, fabrics and perfumes and Rose was reluctantly beginning to admire the place. Amy guessed the look on her face and laughed. "It's hard to hate them, isn't it?" she asked sympathetically. "They really have been raised to think that females are the better gender and that beauty is the most important thing in the universe."

"It's not completely right, though," frowned Rose. "I mean, I am all for girl power and all that, but...gender shouldn't decide superiority. Know what I mean?"

Amy nodded. "From where I come from, gender has become mostly irrelevant," she said. "If it hadn't been for all my travels as a Time Agent, I would never have realised that different cultures regard gender differently."

"Back home, men have been the dominant ones for a long time throughout history. It's been changing a lot though. Feminism is becoming more relevant and prominent every day," said Rose. "Men can still be chauvinistic pigs sometimes though."

"Rory isn't all that bad," amended Amy.

"Rory is the exception," said Rose with a smile. "He's too sweet, bless him." The core in her hand beeped loudly when they passed a tall sky blue building and Rose stopped. "Right here."  
Amy was looking at the building. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?" asked Rose, noticing the slightly worried look on her face.

Amy pointed at the plaque which bore the name of the establishment in the building. "How do you feel about joining a cult?"

Rose read the plaque that read 'The Sisterhood of Goga'. "Oh bollocks," she said.

"Exactly," agreed Amy.

~

"Sister Ariya, we have a new member," Sister Mila said.

"Oh wonderful, who is it?" Sister Ariya asked, delighted.

"Fay Arri," said Sister Mila. "She was married to a male," she said the last word in a hushed voice as if saying a bad curse word.

"Oh no, poor dear," said Sister Ariya with concern. "Where is she now?"

"We had to sedate her. One of the worst cases of Stockholm Syndrome I have seen," said Sister Mila, dejectedly.

Sister Ariya patted the younger Drahvin's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't worry, we shall make sure that she is cured," she said. "I will revive her and start with her first session."

"Wonderful," said Sister Mila with a bright smile. "Will you require my assistance?"

"Oh no, some of the slaves will do," said Sister Ariya. She lowered her voice. "I need you to make sure that the temple is fine."

"Understood," said Sister Mila. "I shall go check on it now."

"Splendid," said Sister Ariya.

Sister Mila gave a quick nod and left Sister Ariya's office. At the end of the hallway, there was an elevator which she entered and pressed the button for the basement. With a ping, the doors closed and the elevator began to descend. Moments later, the doors opened at the basement level of the building.

Mila exited the elevator and walked down the corridor swiftly. It was lit by lanterns as opposed to the technologically advanced lighting that was used in the building above.

The slaves at the temple doors bowed at Mila and she spared them a disdainful glance as she entered. No slaves were permitted in the temple and there was good reason for it. Mila went to the big mainframe computer and started the boot up sequence.

_Enter Identification_

Mila scanned her retina and placed her palm on the touch pad.

_Identification Authorised: Welcome Sister Mila_

Mila quickly entered the code to open the portal.

_Opening time portal_

Mila looked up and smiled victoriously when a small light began to glow near the statue of the goddess at the altar. It became brighter and brighter until it was a circular portal, big enough to fit a grown woman. She waited for a few moments and sure enough, the portal glowed red for a second before a magazine slipped through.

Mila walked up to it quickly and picked up the magazine. It was dated in early 36th century. Mila smiled. Testing was becoming more and more successful as time passed. Soon, the Drahvins would have time travel and they would rule over all of time.

~

"I don't like it, Rory," said the Doctor as he frowned at one of the screens.

"I told you we shouldn't have let them go alone," said Rory.

"No, not about that," said the Doctor dismissively. "I am worried about the time coordinates changing."

"Why?" asked Rory.

"Drahvins don't have time travel," said the Doctor. "They never have and hopefully, they never will."

"You won't get any arguments from me," said Rory. "But if they don't have time travel, then how did the segment move through time?"

"I don't know," said the Doctor, sounding uncharacteristically frustrated. "It should not be happening."

"Maybe the coordinates were just wrong the first time," said Rory, trying to dispel the Doctor's bad mood. "Wouldn't be the first time that we have arrived at the wrong coordinates."

The Doctor snorted. "Haven't you noticed that we have been landing at precise locations recently?" he asked.

"Er," said Rory, realising that it was true. They hadn't missed a single destination of the key so far.

"It's because of the core," said the Doctor when he saw the realisation on Rory's face. "The time-space coordinates are the ones nearest to the segment. Usually, the TARDIS has a mind of her own when it comes to navigation but she cannot ignore precise coordinates like these. Besides, the old girl knows how important this is, don't you?" he asked, patting the console tenderly.

Rory coughed and looked away awkwardly. "Uh, so Drahvins and time travel," he prompted.

The Doctor scowled. "I don't know but I hope Amy and Rose find the segment and manage to get back unharmed," he said.

~

Mila entered the lobby when she was notified by a slave that two women had entered the building voluntarily. Her eyes widened when she saw the couple. The redhead was taller, with long legs that seemed to go on forever. The blonde that she was holding hands with was shorter but had an amazing curvy figure. One thing was certain, the couple was gorgeous.

"Hello, welcome to the Sisterhood. I'm Sister Mila. How may I help you ladies today?" Mila asked with a bright smile.

"Hi, I'm Rose and this is my wife, Amy," said the blonde with a wide smile. "We are actually visiting your planet and were hoping for a tour of your institution."

"Oh, how wonderful!" said Mila, excited. "We do love new visitors. Especially as beautiful as you two. Let's start at the auditorium, shall we?"

"Splendid," said Amy with a grin. "Do lead the way."

Mila clapped her hands in excitement and began to lead them towards the elevator at the end of the lobby. Amy leaned close to Rose. "Where?" she whispered in her ear.

"Downstairs," Rose whispered back, slipping the core back into her jacket pocket so that Mila wouldn't see it.

Unfortunately for them, the auditorium was upstairs. It was a wide room with seats arranged in a semi-circle. "We host our seminars here," said Mila. "There is one this evening on overthrowing a patriarchy in under a year."

"Sounds...wonderful," said Amy with a quick grin and elbowing Rose to do the same.

Mila looked delighted at their reaction and led them back to the elevator. "Up here," she said, opening the doors on the 16th floor. "We have the session rooms. We can observe one right now."

Amy and Rose tried to look pleased as Mila led them to a viewing chamber adjacent to one of the 'session rooms'. A Drahvin slightly older than Mila sat in a chair next to the bed of a woman who had been buckled down.

"That is Sister Ariya," said Mila. "Our senior-most leader."

"Who's the pri...um, patient?" asked Rose, stopping herself from saying 'prisoner' when Amy squeezed her hand tightly in warning.

"Fay Arri, she was brought to us today," said Mila. "Tragic case. Poor thing had been married to a man."

"Yeah, tragic," said Amy, nudging Rose to conceal her surprise.

"Do you know where you are?" Sister Ariya asked Fay.

"I don't...please, let me go," begged Fay.

"As you can see, she is suffering from immense trauma," said Mila to Amy and Rose.  
In the session room, Sister Ariya pressed a button on the machine next to Fay's bed and Fay fell silent. "What happened?" Rose asked curiously.

"Oh, Sister Ariya just gave her something to relax," said Mila. "Now, she will be put under sleep. And then slowly, Sister Ariya will start to repair her trauma."

"Like hypnosis then?" asked Rose.

"Hypnosis?" Mila asked, confused.

"What Rose means," Amy interrupted. "...is whether Sister Ariya will be talking to her while repairing her trauma."

"Yes, exactly," said Mila.

"I think I need some air," said Rose, feeling bile rise in her throat.

"That's a good idea!" said Amy, at once. "Don't mind her, she's a bit delicate." She could practically feel Rose's seething thoughts but this was their one chance to shake Mila off.

"That's completely understandable," said Mila sympathetically. "Such a delicate beauty should not have to witness the ugliness in the world. There's a terrace garden on the 10th floor. I'll show you."

"Oh, that's not necessary," said Amy, putting an arm around Rose's shoulders. "Come along now, darling. Let's get some fresh air."

"Such a lovely couple," Mila smiled happily to herself as they left together.

Once in the elevator, Rose glared at Amy. "Delicate?" she asked.

"Oh come on, I was just trying to get Mila the maniac off our backs," Amy defended.

"These people are sick," said Rose, disgusted. "They are brainwashing those poor, unfortunate women."

"That's the way Drahvins are," said Amy. "I warned you."

"I know," sighed Rose. "Sucks that we can't interfere though. I would love to put an end to this."

"So would I," said Amy. "So, which floor does it feel like?"

Rose glanced at the row of buttons in the elevator. "Only one floor below the lobby," she said, pointing to the one labelled 'B'. "What do you think? Basement?"

"Very likely," said Amy, pressing it. "Let's see what it is."

The elevator doors opened at the basement and Amy and Rose exchanged surprised looks. "Now, this looks like a cult's basement," remarked Rose as they saw the stone corridors lit by lanterns. "What's their game, do you think?"

"Don't know," said Amy shortly. "This feels weird somehow."

"You know, we probably shouldn't tell the Doctor that we had to actually partially join a cult to get the segment," remarked Rose as they walked down the corridor.

"Why not?" asked Amy, amused.

"Can you imagine how unbearable he would become?" Rose asked with a grimace. She put on a faux-Liverpool accent. "No, Rose. Remember what happened the last time you ventured out on your own? You nearly joined a cult."

Amy laughed as Rose imitated the Doctor to perfection.

"Halt! Who goes there?" It was a pair of slave soldiers standing guard outside a pair of double doors.

"Oh hello," said Amy cheerfully. "I'm Amy and this is Rose."

Rose looked surprised at her relaxed state and wondered what she was up to. The slaves looked a bit confused before bowing to them. "How may we serve you?" they asked.

"What's beyond those doors?" asked Amy.

"It's the temple," said one of the slave Drahvin.

"Well, we need to go in then," said Amy.

The slaves exchanged confused looks but at Amy's imploring look, they opened the doors. "Please go in," they said.

"Thank you," said Amy with a smile. "And don't tell anybody."

"Yes," they answered.

Rose followed Amy in a daze. "What the hell?" she asked, once the doors had closed behind them.

"Remember what the Doctor and I said about the slave class? They have no independence or the power to think. They are just force-grown clones," explained Amy.

"So, they just obeyed you?" Rose asked, boggled.

"Yeah, we have names and are female," said Amy as she walked up to the mainframe. "They have to listen to us."

Rose wondered briefly if she was becoming desensitised to the Drahvins' treatment of everyone or if she was going mad, when that piece of information didn't surprise her much. She shook her head and looked at Amy. "What is that?" she asked.

"Some sort of a mainframe," said Amy with a frown. "Probably not important. What's the core say?"

"That's strange," said Rose, holding it in front of her. "It's gone silent."

"Maybe you read it wrong before," said Amy.

"No, it was pointing to the basement up until we left the elevator. Now the signal is just gone. Not just from the basement, but I think from the planet itself," said Rose as she turned around in circles trying to catch a faint signal. But the core stayed silent.

"How could it have disappeared?" asked Amy, confused.

"I don't know," said Rose. "Think the mainframe had something to do with it?"

"Why would it?" asked Amy.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Those Drahvins at the door called this a temple. Apart from that altar over there, does anything look like a temple to you?"

Amy's eyes brightened. "You're right," she said. "There might be a secret safe or something that would be cancelling out the signal or something."

"Can you get into it?" asked Rose

"I can try," said Amy, typing rapidly. "Ah, gotcha!"

The boot up sequence started and Rose gave Amy an impressed look.

_Enter identification_

"What now?" asked Rose.

"Don't worry," said Amy, reaching into her jacket pocket. She took out a small disc and swiped it in front of the retina scanner before placing it on the touch pad.

_Identification Authorised: Welcome Sister Mila_

"How'd you do that?" asked Rose, surprised.

"It's the ultimate hacker," said Amy, tucking it back into her pocket. "It hacks using the details of the last person to operate the machine. I said I did a lot of work in this era, did I not?"

Rose conceded with a nod and left Amy to read the databanks. She wandered over to the altar and held the core out in front of her. It stayed silent, so she tucked it back into her jacket. The altar itself was pretty plain and the statue at the end wasn't one that Rose recognised. But it was definitely a goddess of some sort.

She felt a sense of dread as she realised that Amy was right. This place was weird. The whole thing was made to look primitive but the statue was collecting dust while all the machinery was spotless. It was like the temple was a facade to protect something much, much worse.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a triumphant cry from Amy. Before she could ask her what she had discovered, Rose saw the statue start to glow. She raised her eyebrows as the glow became brighter. "Amy!" she called.

Amy looked at her and her eyes went wide. "Rose! Get away from there!" she yelled.

Rose stared at her in confusion before realising that the glow was getting brighter and uncomfortably closer to her. Slowly, a tear opened up like a small opening. Rose tried to move away but her feet were already caught up in the glow and she felt something pulling her feet. "Amy!" she yelled.

Amy ran to her and caught her arms, trying to pull her back. "Come on, Rose! Try to hold on!"

"I am trying!" said Rose as she felt herself slip further inside the circle. The glow was a bright red now.

Amy increased her strength and tried to pull Rose back but she was slipping deeper and deeper into the portal. "It's a time portal!" Amy yelled. "I don't know how stable it is."

"What happens if it's unstable?" Rose asked as she felt her whole body from the waist down being sucked into the portal.

"It will de-atomise you," said Amy through the effort of trying to pull her. "Hold on!"

"I can't!" said Rose. Only her head and shoulders remained outside the portal now. "Amy, tell the Doctor and Rory..."

"No, I'm not letting you go!" screamed Amy as she worked in vain to keep her from being swallowed into the portal. But her grip was slipping and Rose was being sucked in with a greater force than she could counter.

"It's okay," said Rose as the portal swallowed her whole.

"ROSE!" shrieked Amy as the red glow died down and the portal closed itself off.

Amy stared at the altar in horror. She felt numb all over. And just as she thought that things couldn't get any worse, Sister Mila and Sister Ariya entered the temple.

"Now then," said Sister Ariya, glowering at Amy. "You have some explaining to do."


	11. The Gogan Colonisation: Eris

_Previously_

_"No, I'm not letting you go!" screamed Amy as she worked in vain to keep her from being swallowed into the portal. But her grip was slipping and Rose was being sucked in with a greater force than she could counter._

_"It's okay," said Rose as the portal swallowed her whole._

_"ROSE!" shrieked Amy as the red glow died down and the portal closed itself off._

_Amy stared at the altar in horror. She felt numb all over. And just as she thought that things couldn't get any worse, Sister Mila and Sister Ariya entered the temple._

_"Now then," said Sister Ariya, glowering at Amy. "You have some explaining to do."_

Amy did not respond immediately. She was too busy staring in horror at the spot where Rose had vanished. She knew for certain that the Drahvins had never mastered time travel, meaning that the portal would not have been stable at all. That only meant one thing...

"I asked you a question," Sister Ariya snapped and Amy looked up at her slowly.

"What?" she asked, glaring furiously.

"What are you doing here?" Sister Ariya demanded, glaring back at her with equal ferocity.

"Doesn't matter," said Amy. "Now, was that time portal stable?"

"How did you know about that?" Sister Mila asked, shocked. "Who are you?"

"It's not important who I am," shouted Amy furiously. "Tell me that the time portal is stable."

"What it is, is none of your concern," snapped Ariya. "Take her," she ordered the slaves.

"Sister Ariya, wait," interrupted Mila. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" asked Ariya.

"The Apple is missing," she said.

Ariya turned her angry gaze on Amy. "What have you done with it?" she demanded.

"What Apple?" asked Amy, equally furious. "I don't know anything about an Apple."

"Don't lie to me, girl," said Ariya, advancing on Amy. "What have you done with the Apple? All equipment is useless without it."

Amy opened her mouth to deny it but then her Time Agent's instinct kicked in. The Drahvins thought that some Apple was responsible for the operating of the time portal. "It's safe," she said, changing tactics when she realised that there was no way that the Drahvins had built this technology. "But it won't be for much longer if you won't answer my questions."

Ariya swelled furiously. "There are other ways we could use to make you talk," she snarled. "They are ugly and unbecoming of us Drahvins but left no choice, I shall have no problem inflicting them on you."

Amy smiled impudently at Ariya. "I have wonderful resistance to pain, Sister Ariya," she said cheerfully but with a steely glint in her eyes. "But we can avoid all the ugliness if we decide to be mutually cooperative."

"Perhaps Amy is right," Mila suggested timidly.

Ariya harrumphed but nodded. "Where is the Apple then?" she asked Amy.

"Nuh-uh," said Amy. "My questions first: how stable is that portal?"

Ariya looked at Mila who cleared her throat. "We have been able to transfer objects successfully so far."

Amy relaxed slightly. "Where is the other end of the portal?"

"36th century," said Mila.

"Any spatial difference?" inquired Amy.

"No," said Mila. "This portal opens in the same place during the year 3713."

"Why are you so interested in the stability of the time portal?" asked Ariya.

"Because Rose fell through it," snapped Amy, at the end of her patience with Ariya. Ariya and Mila exchanged a look and Amy felt uneasy at the looks between them. "What?" she demanded.

"The portal is stable," said Mila slowly. "But not enough to carry a living person." Amy felt ice in her stomach at Mila's words. "The first time we sent a slave, and we never recovered anything."

"No," gasped Amy, aghast.

"I'm afraid your wife is dead," said Mila.

~

The first thing that Rose realised upon waking up was that she was...nowhere. Literally.

It was just a blank empty space with localised gravity and breathable air. But there was nothing around; no objects, people, sound or anything. It was a void; a null space.

She fought back a shiver as she looked around. It was unnerving to be in a place where nothing existed. If it wasn't for the slight pain in her shoulders and arms due to being used as a tug of war rope between Amy and the portal, Rose would have thought that she was dead.

The core, Rose thought frantically and checked her jacket pocket. She sighed in relief when she saw the core tucked away safely.

She looked around herself again and her eyes narrowed on something that was glinting...

Rose carefully walked a few paces away, towards the glowing object. What the hell, she thought as she saw a small apple made of gold. She lifted it up in her hand and was surprised by how heavy it was. Was it pure gold?

"Yes, it is pure gold," said a cheerful female voice and Rose whirled around in surprise. Her surprise turned to shock when she saw the woman, and she had to blink rapidly a few times to ascertain that she hadn't gone mad or accidentally consumed LSD.

The woman in question, was about five foot tall with frizzy hair that was brown on her left and a bright orange on her right. She was wearing a long colourful skirt and a rainbow print tank top. There were mismatched gloves on her hands with splashes of colours and the trainers on her feet matched her hair. That is, one of them was brown and the other one was bright orange. As if the clothes were not bizarre enough, she wore multiple hoops linked with each other in one ear and what looked like a small lock on her other ear. There were an astonishing number of chains and bead necklaces around her neck that clinked and jangled as she walked.

"Hello," the colourful woman said cheerfully when she reached Rose. "I see you found my Apple."

"Who are you?" Rose asked, trying to decide if she was a threat.

"I have so many names," she said happily. "But you can call me Eris."

"Eris?" Rose asked and had a sudden vision of Rory walking around the TARDIS with A-Z of Greek Mythology and quoting random information at them after the Guardians' trial. "The goddess of chaos?"

Eris looked delighted that Rose knew who she was. "Oh wonderful," she said, clapping her hands girlishly. "You are the first one who knows who I am."

"Right," said Rose uncertainly. "I don't wanna be rude but aren't you...you know, not supposed to be real?"

Eris' smile drooped. "I am real!" she said, sounding petulant. "Why does everyone say that I am not supposed to be real?"

"Uh," said Rose, wondering how she was supposed to console a goddess who looked to be on the verge of throwing a grand tantrum. "Who said that you aren't real?" she tried, going for a coaxing tone.

"Apart from you? Those blonde idiots in the 38th century and the other idiots in the 36th century," said Eris, crossing her arms and pouting.

"The Drahvins?" Rose asked. "You've met them?"

"Annoying people," said Eris grumpily. "Neither sense of style nor any discord in their boring old lives."

"Yeah, totally with you on that," said Rose, unable to help herself.

Eris' grumpy expression broke and she smiled. "I like you, Rose Tyler," she said.

"I never told you my name," said Rose, looking a bit wary.

Eris laughed. "Oh Rose," she said mirthfully. "I am a goddess, after all."

~

"She can't be dead," said Amy. "She just can't be!"

"Enough of this," snapped Ariya. "You will tell us what you have done with the Apple."

Amy thought quickly. There was no way she could do this on her own. "Rose has the apple," she fibbed.

"Rose, who fell through the portal, has the apple?" Ariya asked, as if making sure that she had heard right.

"That means it is lost forever," said Mila mournfully. "What shall we do?"

"I have a way of fixing this," said Amy. "That way you get your Apple back and I get Rose back."

"How?" asked Ariya.

"Well, I don't know how myself," said Amy. "But I know two people who do."

"Then send for them," ordered Ariya.

"Usually I would love to do that," said Amy with a falsely cheerful smile. "But some of their equipment might offend you." At their blank looks, she rolled her eyes. "They are men."

An hour later, when an irate Doctor and Rory had been brought into the cult's temple, Amy had to summon every ounce of self-control not to burst out laughing. It had taken a long while for her to convince Ariya that only the Doctor and Rory could help. After a bit of fibbing, convincing, cajoling and threatening, Ariya had agreed.

But the persecution of menfolk would definitely hinder them from bringing the Doctor and Rory through the City and into the temple. And then, the suggestion had come about disguise.

"Nice dress," she said finally, trying to stop the laughter bubbling in her throat.

Rory glared angrily at her as he dropped the feminine cloak he had been forced to don over his usual clothes. The Doctor, on the other hand, had already started to examine the mainframe. His cloak and hood had stayed on and Amy had to admire his confidence as he carried off the feminine clothes without the slightest bit of shame or embarrassment.

His only concern was to find Rose.

~

"So, all the Greek gods and goddesses were real?" Rose asked as she and Eris sat down cross-legged across from each other in the void.

"Well, we were real," said Eris with an amused giggle. "But the Greek part is a bit fabricated."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, curious despite herself.

"Oh come on," said Eris. "You're a time traveller and you can't guess this? We're not of Earth."

"Right," said Rose. "So, your lot crashed to Earth or something?"

"More like decided to relocate and set the foundations of a new society," said Eris. "It sounds noble but it was rather like a school project."

"Have all gods and goddesses in history been aliens?" Rose asked, not sure how she should feel about that.

"Most of the ancient ones have," said Eris. "Others were invented by humans. I know for a fact that the Osirians crashed in the place that you now call Egypt."

"But if you were on Earth all the way back in ancient times, what are you doing on Goga so many years later?" asked Rose.

Eris sighed mournfully. "Unfortunately, it's my planet's policy to prohibit us from interfering in the matters of the planet after our job is done," she said. "So, I couldn't go back to Earth. Stupidly, I decided to rebel and got locked up for my troubles."

"Locked up?" asked Rose. "That's horrible!"

"Actually, it's not," said Eris reluctantly. "I tend to get carried away when I cause chaos. But the imprisonment isn't too bad. I even have a chance to get up to my usual mischief sometimes."

"Like now?" guessed Rose with a sly smile. "This is your time off, isn't it?"

Eris giggled and nodded. "I have been having so much fun this time! The Drahvins think that they are getting time travel. Stupid cows."

"And what about the other end? Who's there?" Rose asked.

"Just some Gogans. They have formed a cult to worship me. I am flattered really," said Eris.

Rose nodded and looked at the gold apple in her hand. "So, what's the deal with this Apple?"

"And here I was thinking you knew all about my history," said Eris sarcastically. "It's the Apple of Discord." At Rose's blank look, she huffed. "Read your mythology! The Apple of Discord is my speciality."

"What does it do?" Rose asked, interrupting her rant.

Eris snorted. "It doesn't do anything," she said. "But it is an excellent device to spark a heated fight. Hera, Athena and Aphrodite had a legendary cat-fight over it back in the day. Your lot called it the Trojan War."

Rose's eyebrows flew into her hairline. "So, those goddesses agitated the humans into war?" she asked.

Eris giggled. "Fun, don't you think?" she asked. Rose personally thought it was horrible and said so. Eris was displeased and started to give Rose the silent treatment. It was only after a small green glow began to rise a few yards away from Rose that Eris looked up. "Our journey is at an end," she said.

"Journey?" yelped Rose.

"What else do you think we have been doing?" Eris asked grumpily, letting Rose know that she was still angry at her earlier remark. "You have been travelling through the portal this whole time."

Rose looked slightly thrown off by that remark. She hadn't at all felt like they were moving. "Will I come out into the 36th century Goga now?" Rose asked, a bit nervous as the glow came closer.

"Of course you will," said Eris as she stood up next to Rose.

Rose wondered how the hell she was going to get back to Amy, Rory and the Doctor. Once she reached the end of the portal, she would come out two centuries in the past. Before a cult, no less.

"Well then," said Eris when the portal was only a few steps away. "Good luck to you, Rose Tyler!"

The glow brightened before Rose could reply to Eris. She was apprehensive enough already but then she yelled when Eris snatched away the Apple from her hand. "Can't let you have that!" Eris yelled from behind her, which was followed by loud giggles.

Rose stumbled out of the portal, furious and nervous at the same time. She gasped as she realised that she was in the same temple that she had been in before. Except, there was no machinery in sight and the temple was spotless.

"She has arrived!" someone announced and Rose saw the group of people who had to be the cultists that worshipped Eris. Before she could understand anything more, the main leader who had announced her presence continued.

"She has arrived! The sacrifice!"


	12. The Gogan Colonisation: The Apple

_Previously_

_Rose stumbled out of the portal, furious and nervous at the same time. She gasped as she realised that she was in the same temple that she had been in before. Except, there was no machinery in sight and the temple was spotless._

_"She has arrived!" someone announced and Rose saw the group of people who had to be the cultists that worshipped Eris. Before she could understand anything more, the main leader who had announced her presence continued._

_"She has arrived! The sacrifice!"_

Rose panicked, not knowing what to do. There wasn't anywhere to run since she was at the altar and the temple was full of worshippers. The portal behind her was closed and she had no idea if it even opened from this end.

"She has arrived! The goddess has arrived! The sacrifice! Bring forth the sacrifice!"

Rose did a double take. Hang on, she wasn't the sacrifice?

Her question was answered when a Drahvin was dragged to the front, her hands bound in front of her. Judging from her clothes, she was a slave Drahvin. She looked scared and very distressed as she was brought to the front and forced to kneel before Rose.

Without even thinking, Rose ran over to her and helped her up. The cultists, who had been cheering as the 'sacrifice' was brought to the front, fell silent. The Drahvin looked terrified as Rose helped her up as if expecting Rose to attack her.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked her.

She nodded quickly but then glanced in fear at the cultists who were coming out of their shocked states. Rose's face hardened as she pushed the Drahvin behind her and stared at the worshippers defiantly. "Who's in charge here?" she demanded.

A tall man approached them slowly and kneeled. "I am Vartok," he said. "I speak for everyone here. Is the goddess displeased with the sacrifice?"

"No," said Rose hurriedly, not wanting to see what they would do if she said otherwise. "I want to know why there is a sacrifice in the first place?" That was a safe question, she reckoned. Wasn't human sacrifice a bit primitive for the 36th century?

Vartok looked confused and some of the others started murmuring amongst themselves. "Because the prophecy said so," he said as if it was obvious.

Rose considered going back into the portal, just to strangle Eris. Making sure that the Drahvin was protected, Rose looked at Vartok. "Stand up and tell me everything about the prophecy."

~

Rory had been having the weirdest day so far. Which was a huge feat considering what his normal day looked like. First, they had landed on a planet where his gender automatically made him the enemy. Then, Rose and Amy had to go and find the segment on their own. He and the Doctor had been impatient the whole time that they had been waiting inside the TARDIS.

And then the Drahvins had come...

_There was a knock at the doors of the TARDIS and the Doctor and Rory exchanged a bewildered look over their 22nd match of Somesian chess._

_"Why are they knocking?" asked Rory as the Doctor went to the doors. "I thought they had their keys."_

_"Because it isn't them," he said warily as he opened the doors and let the two Elite Drahvins in. "May I help you, ladies?"_

_"The dimensions of the interior of the ship are significantly larger than the exterior," exclaimed one of them._

_"You know in the old days people just said it was bigger on the inside," muttered the Doctor petulantly. "What do you want?"_

_"Amy Pond requests your presence," said the other one._

_"And who might you be?" he asked._

_"I am Sister Mila and this is Sister Ariya," said the first Drahvin. She was younger and it appeared, less hostile than Sister Ariya._

_"Why did Amy ask for us?" asked Rory. "What have you done to her?" he demanded._

_"She is quite safe," said Sister Ariya, glaring coldly at Rory. "It's her wife that is in trouble."_

_"Rose?" asked the Doctor, alert at once. "What happened to Rose?"_

_"It is better if you come with us," said Sister Mila diplomatically._

_"Explain at once," said the Doctor coldly. "Where. is. Rose?"_

_"She's dead," Sister Ariya said shortly._

_Rory would never forget the expression that crossed the Doctor's face at those words. He had only ever read about seeing someone's heart break but the myriad expressions that crossed the Doctor's face did indeed make it look like his hearts had just been crushed into his chest._

_"What?" he whispered, aghast._

_"We don't know that for sure," said Sister Mila hesitantly._

_The Doctor straightened up, a calm mask in place. "Why did you come here?" he asked. "You certainly did not come here to inform me of my companion's...condition."_

_"Rose had an important artefact with her when she fell into the time portal. Amy said that only you might be able to help recover it. That artefact is essential to us," said Sister Mila explained._

_"I see," said the Doctor. "Lead on then."_

_"Not like this," snapped Sister Ariya. She nodded at Mila who gave them female robes._

_"Er, what are we supposed to do with this?" asked Rory as he examined the, well, dress would be appropriate._

_"Wear it," said the Doctor. His cravat was already off, along with his coat and vest. Dressed just in his trousers and shirt, he pulled the robe over his head and expertly began to do up the fastenings. If Rory hadn't been nearly terrified with worry about Rose, he would have been impressed by the speed at which the Doctor got dressed._

_His own hands stumbled as he did the complicated fastenings. So much so that the Doctor clucked his tongue in disapproval before doing them up himself. Rory cursed his own burning face as the Doctor seemed completely at ease with the whole thing._

_Amy was never going to let them forget this._

Right now though, the bizarre clothes were off. At least for Rory, they were. The Doctor was still dressed in his as he examined the mainframe. "Amy," he called. "I need your decoder."

Amy gave him the disc that she had used to hack into the system before. The Doctor took it absently and swiped it twice. The reboot sequence started up and finally it came to the screen which would open the time portal. Except there was now an error message on the screen.

"You see?" said Sister Mila. "We need the Apple to complete the process."

"What is the Apple exactly?" asked the Doctor.

"You ought to know," snapped Sister Ariya. "You sent your little cat burglars to find it."

"It's not important what it is," said Amy quickly. If they started asking too many questions, the Drahvins would know that Amy had never even seen the Apple. And then they wouldn't be able to find Rose. "The important thing is to get it to work without the Apple."

The Doctor stared at the screen thoughtfully. "You did it without the Apple before, didn't you?" he whispered to Amy in a very low voice, keenly aware of the Drahvins' superior hearing.

Amy nodded quickly. "I swiped the disc again," she said.

The Doctor knew that he couldn't open the portal like that. If the Drahvins realised that the Apple was a non-essential entity, then they would have outlived their necessity. He quickly made up his mind. "I need my machine," he said. "I might have some equipment in there."

"Fine," said Sister Ariya. "You can go and get it. But one of you stays here."

"I'll stay," volunteered Rory. "The two of you go and bring the TARDIS here."

"Are you sure?" asked Amy, looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah, yeah," said Rory, his voice slightly high. "Trapped in a creepy basement with Amazonian blonde women who want to kill me for being a man. What could possibly go wrong?"

Amy laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. "We won't be long," she said. "Doc?"

The Doctor raised the hood of his robes and with a nod at the Drahvins and Rory, left the temple with Amy.

~

"So, the prophecy states that Eri...er, I, require the sacrifice of a blonde female upon arrival?" Rose gathered.

"Indeed, my lady," said Vartok with a bow that made Rose want to fidget.

"And then I'll bless you with the knowledge of the future?" she confirmed.

Vartok nodded eagerly. "We need to know what happens. The prophecy states that the future is colourful and filled with beauty."

"Right," said Rose. "I need a moment alone with the sacrifice," she said the last word quickly and with an apologetic look at the Drahvin who flinched.

"As you wish," said Vartok. If he was confused by the strange request, he did not show it. He quickly ordered everyone to vacate the temple and leave the goddess and the sacrifice alone. 

Once the last of the people had gone, Rose turned to the Drahvin. "What's your name?" she asked her.

"I have been assigned the number 3," said the Drahvin.

"Right," said Rose. She had almost forgotten that the Drahvin before her wasn't one of the Elite. "How did you get here?"

The Drahvin ducked her head. "Sister Ariya pushed me through the portal when they needed a live subject to test it," she confessed.

"That's horrible," gasped Rose. "Did she know if you were going to be safe?"

Drahvin 3 looked confused at her indignation. "But I'm just a slave," she said. "My life has no importance."

"That's rubbish," said Rose firmly. "You are just as important as anyone else."

She shook her head. "I was grown for the purpose of doing whatever the Elite require of me. They know better than my class. They are stronger, more intelligent and they get the better weapons."

"Doesn't mean that they are more important," said Rose. "We are going to go back, you and me."

The Drahvin looked slightly pleased. "But how? There is no machinery here of the sort that is there in the future," she said. "From what I have been able to gather, they have been putting in offerings when the portal opens from our end."

"So we can't open it from here," said Rose. She smiled at the Drahvin. "But once it opens from that end, we will jump right in."

"But how do we know that it will open?" asked the Drahvin in confusion.

"Oh, it will," said Rose confidently. "You just get ready to leave when it does."

~

Rory had to stop himself from sighing in relief when the TARDIS materialised in the temple. The Doctor and Amy stepped out almost immediately. "Right, everything is ready," the Doctor declared.

"What is ready?" Sister Ariya demanded grumpily.

"We will use the TARDIS to travel through the portal," said the Doctor. "It will be a bit more stable." It wasn't completely true but he wasn't about to inform the Drahvins that he possessed a time machine. In truth, what they would be doing is enter the tunnel between the portals and map the coordinates of the place that it would come out at. And then use the TARDIS to get to the coordinates and find Rose.

"Well, get on with it then," said Sister Ariya.

"No," said the Doctor. "I need Rory and Amy to help fly the ship."

"Why didn't you need him before?" asked Mila.

"Because it was a short hop and not through an unpredictable time portal," said the Doctor, like it was obvious.

"How do we know that you won't just disappear?" asked Ariya.

"Then send Mila," said the Doctor, looking at the younger Drahvin. "And swipe this across your mainframe's processor once we are all in the TARDIS," he added to Ariya, giving her a small, silicon rod.

"Fine," said Mila as she sent a reassuring look at Sister Ariya and followed Amy and Rory into the TARDIS after the Doctor.

Once inside, the Doctor geared the TARDIS to fall into the portal that was now opening. "Hold on now!" said the Doctor as the TARDIS tilted violently and shook and shuddered as she fell through the portal.

"What is happening?" Rory demanded as he clutched onto the metal scaffolding with all his might.

"Almost there," yelled the Doctor as he pulled a lever and the TARDIS stopped.

"Did we make it?" asked Amy.

"Yes, I think so," said the Doctor as he quickly went outside and found himself in the white, blank void. Amy, Rory and Mila followed after him, looking a bit stunned at their surroundings. "Marvellous technology," said the Doctor with a low whistle.

"I am glad you think so," said a colourful woman as she bounced over to them.

"Eris!" recognised the Doctor. "You are far away from home."

"Hang on, Eris?" asked Rory, his eyes wide.

"Yes, the same one you are thinking of," said Eris with a wink at him. "And I am enjoying a bit of a break."

"The portal is your work, I presume," said the Doctor disapprovingly.

"Nonsense," snapped Mila when Eris bowed in acknowledgement. "We built the portal."

"Why'd you bring the Drahvin cow?" asked Eris, playing with the beads on her necklace. "For your information," she said, glaring at Mila. "I built this whole thing. I even had your lot convinced that my Apple had something to do with it." She tossed the Apple in the air and caught it back. "It's just like old times. Bunch of cows fighting over an Apple."

"Where's Rose?" asked the Doctor.

"Never heard of her," shrugged Eris.

"Don't patronise me," said the Doctor in a calm yet dangerous voice. "You might have everyone here convinced that you are some fearsome goddess but I know exactly how to deal with your lot. Now, unless you wish for me to trap you in a wormhole for all eternity: TELL ME WHERE ROSE IS."

"Blimey Doctor," came a cheeky voice. "Have a bit of a problem with your anger, do you?" The Doctor's face burst into a smile as Rose ran through the void with a Drahvin behind her. But the Doctor only had eyes for her as he grabbed her and planted a smacking kiss on her forehead. 

Rose giggled as he hugged her tightly. "Not that I am complaining," said Rose. "But do you realise that you are wearing a dress?"

Laughter from Amy and Rory made the Doctor pull away and tug on a strand of Rose's hair in slight admonishment. "Never worry me like that again," he said firmly.

"Yes sir," said Rose, giving a mock salute.

"Touching as this is," interrupted Mila. "We need that Apple."

Eris, who had been scowling the whole time, glared at Mila. "You're not getting it," she said. "You lot are ruining my favourite creation yet."

"Go home, Eris," said the Doctor, rolling his eyes. "I think you have caused enough chaos here."

"No!" said Eris stubbornly, crossing her arms and pouting.

Rose contemplated telling Eris to stop being such a child when she heard a faint sound. Brow furrowing, she pulled out the core from her jacket. The noise grew louder and was pointing towards Eris. The Doctor, Amy and Rory knew at once that the segment was on Eris. Rose wondered briefly how she hadn't felt it before. But she had been a bit distracted back then after all.

"What is that?" Eris asked curiously.

The Doctor did not answer as he took the core from Rose and walked towards Eris. Eris glared at him when he came closer but the beeping became louder. When it came close to the Apple, it gave a loud beep. "Aha, it does explain why the coordinates kept changing," whispered the Doctor. "I'll have that," he said, holding out his hand.

"NO!" said Eris, holding it close to her. "You are not getting that."

"You know I'm not beyond using that wormhole I mentioned before," said the Doctor in a tone of a parent berating a misbehaving child.

"You wouldn't!" said Eris, stomping her foot.

"I most certainly will if you don't give me the Apple," he said firmly. At Eris' unrelenting look, he tilted his head. "I am a Time Lord. How good is your history?" Eris paled slightly and dropped the Apple in his outstretched palm. The Doctor nodded. "Good, now off to home with you. Get rid of this charade, will you?"

Eris nodded sulkily, looking very much like she had been force fed castor oil. She glared grumpily at their backs as the Doctor, his companions and the two Drahvins returned to the TARDIS. 

When the machine was gone, Eris scowled and screamed in frustration for a moment before meekly starting to clean up her chaotic mess.

~

"Where are we going?" Rory asked the Doctor in a whisper as he piloted the TARDIS.

"Sending Mila and Rose's friend home," he said.

"They're not going to leave quietly, are they?" guessed Rory. "They're going to want the Apple."

"I don't think they will," said the Doctor with a grin. Rory didn't ask what he meant by that but judging from the Doctor's smile, he guessed that Eris would be taking the machinery away.

He looked over to the other side of the console room where Rose and Amy were hugging tightly. He raised his eyebrows as he saw Amy apologising and Rose smiling happily at her. He wondered if they would tell him if he asked what had happened. Then he decided it didn't matter. It had been their adventure to share and it was fine if they never told him.

When they arrived back in the temple, they found Ariya throwing a fit because the machinery was all gone. She demanded that the Doctor undo whatever trick he had done. Even after Mila assured her that it had all been the work of the goddess that the Gogans from the 36th century had worshipped, Ariya stayed resolute.

Finally, Mila took charge and had Ariya sedated with one of the concoctions they used to subdue their difficult patients. "But we still need the Apple," she had said after Ariya had been taken away.

"Whatever for?" asked the Doctor, astonished.

"We shall build our own technology," she said, her eyes bright. "The Drahvins shall have time tr..." she fell unconscious as Drahvin 3 hit her with a stunning shot of her weapon.

"Escape quickly!" Drahvin 3 told them as they stared at her in shock.

"Thank you," said Rose. "Remember what I said about being important."

"I do," Drahvin 3 nodded. "Hurry!"

The time travellers said their thanks quickly and went into the TARDIS. The Doctor took them away from Goga quickly. Suffice to say that none of them were particularly keen to return there in a hurry.

Amy and Rory had shuffled off to their respective rooms as soon as the Doctor had converted the Apple into a segment of the Key to Time and put it away in the safe.

Rose was yawning and the Doctor finally told her to go to bed. "Aren't you coming?" she asked.

"In a minute," he answered. "I think I'll fetch 'Great Expectations'. We haven't read together in a while."

Rose smiled widely at him. "I'd like that," she said. She missed having him read to her. "I'll get in bed. Don't take too long."

"On my honour," agreed the Doctor with a wink.

Rose grinned at him and went to the ensuite of her room to freshen up before bed. The Doctor finally finished the minor repairs that their little jaunt through the portal had made necessary. He went to the library and found his copy of Dickens' Great Expectations. He missed reading to Rose and he had come far too close to losing her today. Right now, all he needed to do was reconnect with her.

He was hurrying out when he saw that there was a book on the table next to Rose's favourite chair. Frowning, he picked it up and saw that it was written in Old High Gallifreyan. What had Rose been doing with this? His hearts thumping in his chest, he opened it to the bookmarked page.

_There is no account of the Other's true name but it was said that he was unlike any Gallifreyan of the time. His intellect was on par with Rassilon and Omega yet it was rumoured that he despised the notion of a strict Time Lord society. He wished for time travel to be used as a means of fighting the evil in the universe which went against everything that the new society was based on._

_Apart from his usual bouts of eccentricity, the Other was also distinctive for...falling in love with an Eternal. Her name is lost to the universe, just as his. The forbidden romance came to a tragic end when the Eternal was condemned for falling in love with an ephemeral. She was cast into the vortex, destined to be born as a new being without any memory of her Eternal life._

_Heartbroken and mad with grief, the Other took his life by jumping into the looms, hoping to be born into a new life just like his lost love._

_One legend says that before she died, the Eternal bore him a womb-borne child and in fear of the child's safety, she cast it into the vortex. There is little to no information about the child apart from the fact that she was a female. It is unknown whether she survived her journey through the vortex or even if she ever actually existed._

Hands shaking, the Doctor tore out the page from the book and tucked it into his trouser pocket. 

Some things should just stay buried.


	13. The Clone Wars: Torn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The healing bandages appeared in the First Doctor story 'The Edge of Destruction'.

The Doctor watched the time rotor move up and down as the TARDIS took them to their next destination. The Key was halfway assembled and there was only the other half to go. Somehow, the Doctor knew that it was only going to get harder from here.

"Morning," Rory greeted as he walked into the console room. "Where are we off to today?"

"I am not quite sure," said the Doctor. "The place isn't familiar to me and that is saying something. It's an asteroid near a very unstable planet as far as I can tell."

"Unstable?" Rory asked unsurely. "It's not going to explode as soon as we get near it, is it?"

"Not likely," said the Doctor wryly. "At least, I don't think so." His eyes looked past Rory. "Hello Amy," he greeted. "New clothes?"

Amy, who had preferred her skin-tight catsuits and jumpsuits even after coming onboard the TARDIS, was dressed in a denim skirt, striped leggings, with a tank top and a plaid shirt over it. 

She gave a twirl and grinned. "I thought I would try out the old Earth look," she said. "Rose helped me pick it out. Do you like it?" she directed the question at Rory.

"Uh...oh, yeah," stammered Rory, blushing heavily. "Looks nice."

"Where is Rose?" asked the Doctor, without looking up from the controls as he prepared to land them.

"She's talking with her mum on the phone," said Amy. "It is not sounding pretty."

"Yeah, Jackie can be a bit overwhelming," said Rory.

"You've met her?" asked Amy with interest.

"Yeah, a few weeks after I started travelling in the TARDIS," said Rory with a grin. "We stopped by Earth for a day or two."

Amy looked at the Doctor, who was still busy with the controls. "Didn't think you did family visits," she remarked.

Rory laughed. "Especially since Jackie asked if you and Rose had started shagging yet," he recalled.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It was a valid query from a concerned mother, Rory," he said. "As I recall, you were asked the same question."

Rory refused to be embarrassed at the memory but he must have failed because Amy laughed uproariously. His remark was drowned out as Rose came out into the console room, looking agitated.

"Everything alright?" the Doctor asked her when she hadn't said a word for a while.

"Fine," said Rose. "Really," she insisted when the other three gave her incredulous looks. "It's just mum. She wanted to know why we haven't visited in a while. I tried to tell her we've been busy."

"We can stop by Earth if you want," said the Doctor. "We could use a break."

Rose shook her head. "The Key to Time is more important," she said firmly.

"If you're sure," murmured the Doctor. At her decisive nod, he sighed and finished the landing sequence. "Then we are at the next location. It is an asteroid named Maxim Beta and the nearest planet is Neo Remi. Highly unstable planet."

"Cheery," commented Amy dryly.

The Doctor ignored her and pulled out a small box from his coat. Inside were small green pills. He picked two of them and gave them to Rory and Rose. "Take these, you two," he said.

"What about Amy?" asked Rose as she dry-swallowed the pill.

"Amy's from the 52nd century. She is immune to a lot of stuff that you and Rory aren't," said the Doctor. "Now, ground rules. We do not split up this time. Keep an eye on each other at all times." He unplugged the core and tucked it into his coat pocket. "We do not want a repeat of the Gogan incident. Understand?"

At looks of agreement from his companions, the Doctor nodded and opened the doors. 

Immediately, they were hit by a gale. "Blimey," said Rose, having to raise her voice in order to be heard. "Cheerful place, innit?" she said sarcastically.

Indeed Maxim Beta was one of the most depressing places they had come across. It was an empty expanse of rocks and dust, reminiscent of a quarry. Everywhere they looked was dull and grey. There were no sounds and even if there had been any, it would have been impossible to hear considering how loud the wind was.

"Which way?" Amy asked the Doctor, having to shout.

"That way!" he pointed, straight ahead. "Come along. No dilly-dallying."

Bracing themselves against the winds, the four time travellers started to walk across the asteroid. The wind only seemed to become stronger as they moved forward. Thankfully, they'd had the foresight to grab a warm coat or jacket before they had left the TARDIS.

"Is it me or is it getting darker?" Rory asked, shouting at the top of his lungs in order to be heard.

"It's not just you," the Doctor shouted back. "We must be nearing the night cycle."

"Just our luck," grumbled Amy. "How's the signal?"

"Still pointing straight," said the Doctor. He stopped suddenly and peered up the sky. His companions stopped as well, trying to see what he was looking at. It was hard to keep their gaze focused upwards since the wind was making their eyes water.

They had started to shield their eyes when the Doctor shouted 'DUCK!" Obeying him on instinct, they jumped out of the way as a red bolt of laser hit the ground where they had been standing moments before. The ground was now charred where the bolt had hit it. "RUN!" shouted the Doctor.

As more and more red bolts started to rain from the skies, the four time travellers ran through the windstorm, unsure of the direction that they were going in.

"This way," yelled the Doctor, grabbing the arm of the person nearest to him which turned out to be Rose. The two of them did their best to dodge the lasers as they ran for their lives.

"Who's shooting at us?" Rose yelled.

"I don't know! Keep running!" shouted the Doctor. As soon as the words were out his mouth, he stopped abruptly and Rose bumped into his back.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Cliff," said the Doctor, pointing in front of them and Rose had to swallow a gasp as she realised how close to the edge the two of them were. Another step and they would have fallen into the chasm below. A bolt fired inches away from Rose and the two of them felt their steps falter as the cliff's edge shook beneath them and some chunks of rock skittered away.

"Rose," said the Doctor. "We have to move away slowly. Don't make any sudden movements."

Rose started to ease back, keeping a tight grip on the Doctor's hand. But as their luck would have it, a bolt fired at the cliff's edge and the tenuous edge gave away. The Doctor and Rose lost their balance and were plunged into the abyss below.

~

"RORY!" Rory!" Amy called. She almost screamed when she felt someone grab her hand but relaxed as she recognised Rory's grip. "Any idea where we are?"

"No," shouted Rory. "No sign of the Doctor and Rose either. Come on, this way!"

"HALT, human scum!"

Amy and Rory came to a stop as a group of short aliens covered in blue armour and helmet walked up to them, pointing their guns at them. "Oh crap," murmured Amy.

"What? Who are they?" asked Rory.

"Remain quiet, human!" snapped the same alien that had spoken before. He put away his gun and slowly took off his helmet and Rory's eyes went wide at the sight of the alien that deeply resembled a potato. "I am Commander Styx of the 34th Sontaran fleet. And you are our prisoner. Come with us!"

Rory looked at Amy who shrugged at him in resignation. There was no way they could fight a horde of Sontarans. "Alright, we will come," said Amy, holding up her hands and nudging Rory to do the same.

The Sontarans made way for them, pointing with their guns. Amy and Rory started walking, trying to fight the feeling of dread. The Sontarans led them towards a huge Sontaran ship parked on the asteroid. There was a ramp from the entrance of the ship to the asteroid's surface. Amy and Rory climbed the ramp and they heard the Sontarans march in after them.

The ship was warmer and there was no need to shout anymore as they were out of the gale. "Take them to the prison cell and keep them there until questioning," Commander Styx ordered.

The Sontarans pushed at Amy and Rory to move. "Alright, alright," grumbled Amy as she and Rory were led into a holding cell. It was a small, sterile room with plain white surface and a hyperplex glass door guarding them.

"Who are they?" Rory asked, as soon as they were alone. "They look like potatoes."

"Whatever you do, don't say that to their face," Amy cautioned him. "They are Sontarans. One of the mightiest warrior races in the universe. The only way to defeat them is hitting the probic vent at the backs of their necks."

"Well that's good then," said Rory.

"No it isn't," said Amy glumly. "Sontarans don't show their backs to the enemy. And anyway, they are a clone race of millions upon millions. No way can we take them all."

"So we're stuck?" asked Rory.

"Appears so," said Amy. "We only have to see what they want us for."

"Great," said Rory as he sat down in the cell with his back to the wall.

"Cheer up," said Amy, sitting down next to him and bumping his shoulder with hers. "I bet the Doctor and Rose will have a plan."

~

Rose groaned as she felt immense pain in her side. She could also feel her palms burning and knew she had grazed them quite badly. She and the Doctor had gone over the edge but instead of plunging to their deaths, they had rolled along the side of the cliff and landed at the base. The wind was quieter here and despite it being dark, the visibility was much clearer.

Wincing in pain, Rose turned around to look for the Doctor. She sighed in relief when she saw him a few feet away from her. "Doctor?" she called. He didn't reply and Rose crawled over to him, trying not to cry out in pain. She had definitely bruised a rib or two. "Doctor?" she tried again when she got close.

A loud gasp escaped her mouth as she found the Doctor unconscious. The front of his vest was ripped to shreds and blood streaked what remained of his white shirt. Panic building inside her, Rose checked his pulse and was startled to find it weak. She touched her ear to his chest, mindful of the blood and his injuries. His right heart was slowing down and the left one was out of sync.

Her hands trembled as she rifled through his coat to find something to tend to his injuries. After three packets of jelly baby, a teddy bear, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and fifteen different magazines ranging from Science Weekly to Vogue, she pulled out what looked like a smelling salt.

Praying that it would work, she held it under the Doctor's nose. It only took a few moments before he gasped in a breath and snapped his eyes open. "Doctor," she called. "Can you hear me?"

"Rose," he sighed in pain. "What happened?"

"We fell," she said. "Doctor, you are bleeding and your hearts are not beating right. How do I fix it?"

"Third pocket," he said, grimacing in pain. "Disinfectant...green one."

Rose searched through said pocket and found a tiny green bottle labelled 'disinfectant'. Upon further searching, she found some clean cotton pads.

"Doctor," said Rose. "I'm going to take your coat and shirt off before cleaning your wounds, okay?"

The Doctor nodded and Rose took off the already askew cravat and tossed it away. She pulled his arms out of the coat, thankful that the coat wasn't too badly damaged. He would have thrown a fit if she had cut his coat. His shirt and vest were almost completely ruined and it only took a few well-placed tugs from Rose to rid the Doctor of them.

Now that his torso was fully bared, she carefully soaked the cotton balls with the disinfectant and started to clean his wounds. He hissed in pain when it touched his broken skin. "Sorry," she said. "I'll try and be gentle."

He nodded at her, being in too much pain to speak. Rose made her touch lighter as she dabbed the wounds with the cotton pad. As the blood cleared away, she was able to see that there were four major gashes that were causing the injury.

It looked very much like the Doctor had scraped his body against the sharp rocks of the cliff. He had been lucky that his chest hadn't been torn to ribbons. Fighting back tears at the horrific near-miss, she finished cleaning the wounds. Thankfully, the gashes appeared shallow and weren't bleeding anymore. But they were still open wounds.

"Healing bandages," said the Doctor, his voice a bit stronger.

Rose found a long roll of coloured bandage inside a brown box labelled 'Healing Bandages'. The odd alien bandages weren't something she had seen before since the medbay had different supplies. Maybe this was the Doctor's emergency supply, she mused.

Taking a deep breath, Rose started wrapping the coloured bandages around the gashes. The Doctor tried to keep his moans of pain quiet, but Rose still flinched every time one slipped out. 

"Are you...injured?" he asked as Rose was bandaging the last of his wounds.

"Bruised my ribs, I think," Rose answered. She had been ignoring her own pain but it was back in full force now that her mind was back on it. The Doctor started to sit up and groaned loudly in pain. "Lie down," Rose said, gently pushing him back down on his coat. "You'll hurt yourself. Are you sure these bandages will work?"

"They turn white, once the injury has healed," he managed a whole sentence without wincing but his voice was still weak. "Rose...let me see. I have to check you..."

"It's okay," said Rose, using a clean cotton pad to bathe the scrapes on her palms. "I'll do it..." 

The Doctor nodded as he started to focus on using some of his energy to speed up his recovery.  
Rose bandaged her palms quickly but as soon as she tried to lift an arm to see the damage to her ribs, pain shot through her side and she crumpled. The Doctor sat up with effort and took in a deep breath before lifting her chin. "I'll do it," he said, softly.

She nodded as the Doctor gently eased her shirt up a bit so that her abdomen was visible. There were ugly bruises decorating the right side of her body, from her hips to just under her breasts. 

The Doctor picked up a disinfectant soaked cotton pad and ran it over the bruises. Rose hissed at the coolness against her burning skin and the Doctor murmured a quiet apology. Once he was sure that the injured area was clean, he picked up a healing bandage and wrapped it around her torso.

The healing bandage took effect immediately and Rose sighed in relief as she lowered her shirt back down. "Thanks," she murmured, hoping he couldn't see her warm blush in the darkness. She put a hand to his bare chest, ignoring it when he tensed. "Your hearts are in sync again," she said, sounding relieved. "A bit fast though."

"It's just the healing process," said the Doctor but wouldn't quite look her in the eye as he said it. "Any sign of Amy and Rory?"

Rose shook her head. "I think we lost them somewhere back up there," she said. "Are you feeling well enough to walk?"

"Yes," he said. "I just need a hand getting up."

Rose jumped to her feet and offered him her hand. The Doctor swallowed back his groan as he stood up. The healing bandages were still quite dark, meaning his injury was not yet healed. 

Rose picked up his coat, noting in relief that the core was still there. She put the healing supplies away and handed the coat over to him.

"I don't think I can quite put it on," said the Doctor, draping it over his arm. He took Rose's hand. "Come on, we need to find a way to get back up the cliff."

Rose squeezed his hand and nodded but they had only taken a few steps when they saw a green light coming towards them. "What the hell is that?" Rose murmured.

The green light came closer and Rose realised that they were a bunch of green-coloured, floating jellyfish. At least, that was what she thought they were until the Doctor tightened his grip on her.

"Oh no," he said.

"What is it? What are those things?" Rose asked.

The Doctor grimaced. "The Rutans."


	14. The Clone Wars: Battle Plans

_Previously_

_"What the hell is that?" Rose murmured._

_The green light came closer and Rose realised that they were a bunch of green-coloured, floating jellyfish. At least, that was what she thought they were until the Doctor tightened his grip on her._

_"Oh no," he said._

_"What is it? What are those things?" Rose asked._

_The Doctor grimaced. "The Rutans."_

"Identify yourselves," the Rutan in the lead said and Rose tried not to cringe at its voice. It was a horrible, tinny sound that reminded of a warbled radio connection combined with nails against a blackboard.

"Oh hello," said the Doctor cheerfully. "Don't mind us. We were just taking a walk along the cliffs, lovely night for a wander you see. But clumsy us, we lost our balance and ended up taking quite a tumble, didn't we Rose?"

"Yeah," said Rose quickly, since he evidently expected her to agree with him.

The Rutans listened to the Doctor's babble and the leader started shimmering. Rose's mouth fell open as the green jellyfish slowly morphed into an exact replica of the Doctor, down to the bare chest covered with bandages. "Identify yourselves," the Rutan-Doctor repeated in the Doctor's voice.

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. "Your technology has certainly gone up in the world," he said, sounding a bit impressed. "And to answer you, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler. So, tell me, what are the Rutans doing on Maxim Beta? You're a fair distance away from your carnage with the Sontarans."

"It is none of your concern," Rutan-Doctor said firmly. "Come with us."

Having no choice left, the Doctor and Rose followed the Rutan-Doctor and the rest of the Rutans followed them, making a glugging sound as they moved.

~

Over on the Sontaran ship, Commander Styx approached the holding cell. "You!" he ordered, looking at Amy. "Get up!"

"No," said Rory, standing in front of Amy. "Ask me whatever you want. Leave her out of it."

"The woman-one will be interrogated first," Styx was adamant. "Our records indicate that they are the weaker ones."

"Oi!" shouted Amy as she got to her feet furiously. "Who are you calling 'weak', ugly?"

"Silence!" Styx commanded. "The woman-one shows courage. But she will still be the first one to be interrogated."

"Like hell," said Rory angrily.

Styx raised his gun and pointed it at Rory. "Any movements and you will be obliterated," he threatened as the hyperplex glass door swung open. "You! Woman-one! Come outside."

Amy gritted her teeth but started to move out. Rory grabbed her arm. "No, Amy," he said.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine," she said.

"Amy! Amy, no," Rory protested as Amy patted his arm and left with Styx. The cell door swung shut and Rory kicked it in frustration, yelping when it hurt. He reached into his pocket to check his mobile phone and was glad to see that it had a full signal.

Quick as he could, he dialled Rose's number and waited. He and Rose were the only ones who had a mobile phone, courtesy of the habit of their era. It rang twice before it was abruptly cut off. 

Rory scowled and disconnected the call, his worry intensifying. What had happened to those two?

~

"You didn't have to do that!" Rose protested as she looked at the large burn mark on her phone.

The Rutans ignored her and Rose glared at the Rutan-Doctor's back as she and the Doctor followed. Upon hearing her phone ring, the Rutan-Doctor had fired a small bolt at the phone, rendering it useless for the time being.

The Doctor still looked furious as they reached the Rutan ship. The bolt had fired too close to Rose and another inch or two would have meant that it would have hit her instead of the phone. 

He tightened his grip on her hand, being mindful of not crushing it since the bandages on her hand were still a dark beige.

The Rutan ship was quite magnificent in appearance with the glowing red crystalline surface on the outside. The inside was dark with occasional flashes of crimson that told the Doctor that they were running scans on the asteroid.

"Over here," the Rutan-Doctor ordered and the Doctor and Rose were asked to sit at a table. They sat down side-by-side, the Doctor glowering intensely at his double.

"Any reason why you have brought us here?" the Doctor demanded.

"State the purpose of your visit to Maxim Beta," commanded the Rutan-Doctor coldly.

"I told you already," snapped the Doctor. "We landed here and decided to go off on a wander."

"Do not lie!" snapped the Rutan-Doctor. "We know you are here for the segment."

The Doctor tensed and exchanged a worried glance with Rose. "The segment?" the Doctor asked.

The Rutan-Doctor glared at them both. "The Rutans have claimed the segment in their name. No one else shall have it. Neither you humanoids nor the Sontaran rabble."

"What segment is this?" the Doctor asked, a contemplative gleam appearing in his eyes.

"Do not play the innocent fool," snapped the Rutan-Doctor. "We know you are here for the Heleonic segment."

"Heleonic?" the Doctor asked, wondering why that sounded familiar. "No," he said, once he realised what it was. "You can't possibly..."

"Why? What is it?" Rose asked curiously, her original relief over the segment of the Key to Time giving way to wariness over the Doctor's horror.

"The Heleonic segment has a very unique property," the Doctor explained, keeping his eye fixed on the double who was glaring at him. "It can be harnessed to create a beam that can transform matter into anti-matter."

"Purpose confirmed," the Rutan-Doctor proclaimed. "You shall now be obliterated."

"No, no, no, wait," said the Doctor, quickly. "You mentioned the Sontarans. Are they here too?"

"The rabble has parked their ship on the other side of no-man's land," spat the Rutan-Doctor in disgust.

"No-man's land, eh?" murmured the Doctor.

"And we landed the TARDIS right in the middle of it," Rose whispered back to him.

"Look," said the Doctor to his Rutan double. "We have no interest in the Heleonic segment. We are obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time. Seems to happen a lot to me, I have to tell you. But," his voice became more focused. "I am guessing that the segment is also in the no-man's land which is why you haven't got it yet."

The Rutan-Doctor glared at the Doctor. "Your point?" he demanded.

"My point is," said the Doctor eagerly. "We don't want anything to do with your war with the Sontarans. If you let us go, we can fetch the segment for you in exchange for our freedom."

"How do we know you will not try to escape?" demanded the Rutan-Doctor.

"Oh, you can send a small contingent of Rutans with us," said the Doctor with a wide smile. "In fact, we insist on it."

The Rutan-Doctor looked suspicious for a moment before nodding. "Fine, wait here," he said and then morphed back into his original form.

Rose was inordinately relieved when that happened. It was getting really weird watching two Doctors argue back and forth. And the Rutan-Doctor was very creepy.

"Rose, I need your phone," whispered the Doctor in her ear.

"But it's broken," Rose whispered back.

The Doctor looked insistent so Rose passed him the phone. He used his coat to hide what he was doing and began to fiddle with the phone with his sonic screwdriver. Rose wondered what he was doing and asked him so. "Trying something," he answered unhelpfully. "I just hope this works."

"Doctor," said Rose, exasperated. "Can you just tell me what hare-brained scheme you have come up with?"

"I am sending a little message to Rory," he said, managing to connect the phone's system enough to send a message. "If we are lucky, they have been captured by Sontarans."

"How is that lucky?" Rose hissed.

"It's lucky because once the Sontarans read this message, then they will undoubtedly be on their way to collect the segment," said the Doctor. "Aha," he murmured. "Here we go."

"That's your plan?" Rose asked. "Get the Sontarans and Rutans in the same place at the same time?"

"Brilliant, isn't it?" he asked with a quick grin. "Let them fight it out while we escape."

"Or die in the crossfire," muttered Rose. "You nutter, you sure you didn't hit your head on the way down?"

The Doctor gave her a wounded look. "Rose, it is a brilliant idea and I admit it's risky but it's the best we have so far."

"And what if they haven't been captured by Sontarans, hmm?" Rose asked in a furious whisper.

"Then they are back in the TARDIS and we can join them once the Rutans have let us go," he said.

"And what about the segment?" Rose asked.

"Which one?" he asked with a grin, and sobered up when Rose glared at him. "The Heleonic segment is useless. The Rutans will not be able to create the anti-matter beam even if they do get the segment. It's way beyond them. As for the key, well, once the Sontarans and Rutans sort out their differences, we can resume our search," he explained. "There, done!"

Rose sighed and shook her head. "I only hope you are right," she muttered. "Otherwise we are all doomed."

"Don't be so dramatic, Rose," said the Doctor with a grin. "You'll see. Nothing can go wrong."

Rose groaned. "You just had to say that, didn't you?"

~

"What is this device?" Styx asked Rory.

"It's a mobile," Rory said.

Styx had interrogated Amy and then him, but they had both told him the same thing. They were not here for the Heleonic segment. Whatever the hell that was. But then, Rory's phone had buzzed with a message. The phone that Styx was now holding.

_Rutans are moving in to get the segment._

"I knew it!" Styx declared. "Rutan scum!"

"What's going on?" Amy muttered to Rory.

"The Doctor's work, no doubt," Rory whispered back. "It's going to get us killed."

"Or not," Amy muttered. "Oi, Potato-face!" she called. Styx glared at her and she waved cheekily. "The Rutans are moving in. Aren't you lot going to march over there to stop them? Or are you too much of cowards to face them?"

"You insult us, woman-one?" Styx roared. "Open cell! You two shall accompany us and watch the Sontarans crush the Rutan scum."

Still shaking with anger, Styx rallied his troops and glared at Amy and Rory to follow. Amy winked at Rory. "Like taking a candy from a baby," she murmured.

Rory's lips twitched. "What do you think the Doctor's up to?"

"My guess? He's getting the jellyfish and potatoheads in one place and waiting for the powder keg to blow itself up," Amy said as they followed the Sontarans out of the ship.

"And how do we avoid getting killed?" Rory asked.

"Believe me," smirked Amy. "When Rutans and Sontarans come face to face, we could dance around them wearing bulls-eyes and they still wouldn't shoot at us."

"I just hope you are right," said Rory. "Where is this segment anyway?"

"I'm guessing in the same area that they were firing in," said Amy. "The TARDIS is somewhere down there," said Amy, pointing to their right where it sloped downwards.

"Do you think it's weird that they are taking us to the same place where the core was pointing at before?" Rory asked.

"Do you mean, is the the Heleonic segment the fourth segment of the key?" Amy guessed. "I don't know. I hope not, anyway. It would make this much more complicated."

"Take formation!" Styx ordered and Amy and Rory saw a large depression in the ground. The Sontarans stood around it, their guns ready. "The segment," Commander Styx said. "Is in the catacombs. Begin descent."

At his command, the Sontarans started to jump into the hole one after another. Styx looked at Amy and Rory. "Jump, human scum!"

"Yeah, no," said Rory. "That looks way too deep."

Styx grumbled about weaklings before asking one of the soldiers to hand him a length of coil. He gave it to them. "Use this!" he ordered.

Rory raised his eyebrows before tying one end of the coil to one of the large boulders near the hole. He tossed the rest of it down. "Can you climb down?" he asked Amy.

"Course," answered Amy. She gripped it tightly and using the surrounding surface of the hole as leverage, began to descend downwards. Thankfully, it was only a small way down and she gave a shout to Rory once she was down. Rory followed soon after and Commander Styx rolled his eyes before jumping into the hole after them.

"To the left!" Commander Styx commanded and the Sontarans, and Amy and Rory began their trek through the narrow passageways under the surface of the asteroid to get to the segment.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Rose had followed the Rutans on a path through a cave in the cliffs and into the catacombs. They were moving right steadily, towards the segment. The Doctor was holding Rose's hand as they walked, both of them being mindful of the fact that any corner they turned at could have the Sontarans waiting to ambush them.

In the deepest of the caves where the Heleonic segment was resting, its guardians cackled in amusement as they watched the Sontarans and Rutans try and enter their domain through opposite ends.

"Soon," said their leader as the rest of them laughed loudly. "They shall be here soon. And we shall be avenged at last."


	15. The Clone Wars: The Segment

_Previously_

_"To the left!" Commander Styx commanded and the Sontarans, and Amy and Rory began their trek through the narrow passageways under the surface of the asteroid to get to the segment._

_Meanwhile, the Doctor and Rose had followed the Rutans on a path through a cave in the cliffs and into the catacombs. They were moving right steadily, towards the segment. The Doctor was holding Rose's hand as they walked, both of them being mindful of the fact that any corner they turned at could have the Sontarans waiting to ambush them._

_In the deepest of the caves where the Heleonic segment was resting, its guardians cackled in amusement as they watched the Sontarans and Rutans try and enter their domain through opposite ends._

_"Soon," said their leader as the rest of them laughed loudly. "They shall be here soon. And we shall be avenged at last."_

The Doctor and Rose had been walking for about half an hour with the Rutans when a worried expression crossed the Doctor's face. Rose looked at him questioningly and he leaned closer to her to answer.

"The core is giving a signal," he whispered. "Straight ahead."

"The way we are going?" she asked. "That's good, isn't it? If the Rutans and Sontarans are fighting, we can get the segment easily."

The Doctor pursed his lips and pulled her to a stop while the Rutans got rid of a blockage in their path. "I need your shirt," he said.

Rose looked at the bright pink tank top she was wearing under her darker pink hoodie. She raised her eyebrows at the Doctor. "I don't know if it's your colour," she joked lightly.

The Doctor looked a bit perplexed. "Nonsense," he declared. "I know for a fact that I can carry off pink quite well. But that's not why I need it."

"Why do you need it then?" asked Rose.

"To leave a message for Amy and Rory," he said. He held his hand out impatiently.

Realising that he was not joking, Rose shrugged. "Do you need it in one piece?" she asked in a matter of fact tone. She'd had far weirder requests from him after all.

"It's not a requirement," he said dryly.

Rose nodded and zipped up her hoodie. She reached under it and with one single tug, had her tank top torn from her shoulders. The Doctor watched with an impressed look as she handed him the remains of her pink tank top without ever taking her hoodie off.

"Thank you," he said and then reached into the pocket of his coat to pull out a thin, metal rod about three feet in length. "Keep a look out," said the Doctor.

Rose chanced a quick look towards the Rutans and saw them attaching minor explosives to the blockage in their way. None of them were paying close attention to the Doctor or her. She looked back at the Doctor and saw him mounting her pink shirt on the rod like a flag. Before she could ask what he was doing, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tightly against his body. She didn't have a chance to ask before a loud explosion rang behind them.

"Are you okay?" she heard him ask her and she nodded hastily, trying not to shiver because of his cool chest against her body. "Some warning would have been nice!" he snapped at the Rutans who ignored him and began to move forward.

"What is that flag for?" Rose asked as the Doctor hid it inside his coat and pulled her after the Rutans.

"Can't you feel it?" he asked her. At the blank look that Rose gave him, he looked genuinely annoyed. "Sometimes I envy human minds," he muttered.

"Oi!" snapped Rose, punching his arm, being mindful not to hit an injured spot. "Enough of the condescending attitude."

He rubbed his arm with an exaggerated scowl. "There are strong telepathic waves through here. And for some odd reason, they are very familiar to me."

"Sontarans aren't telepathic, I'm guessing," said Rose.

"No, they are not," said the Doctor. "I have a feeling there is more at work here than we have been led to believe."

~

"SONTAR-HA! SONTAR-HA! SONTAR-HA!"

"Don't they ever stop?" grumbled Rory.

"No," said Amy, looking just as tired of the chant.

"Do we have a plan?" he asked her in a low voice.

"Well, no," said Amy.

"Great," said Rory, sarcasm evident in his voice. "So, we are just walking into a big ambush with no plan. Brilliant."

Amy laughed and patted his cheek. "We're just going to wing it," she said with a bright grin.

"Wing it?" Rory smiled despite himself. "Where'd you hear that one?"

"One of your 21st century films," said Amy. "It was in the right context, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," agreed Rory with a laugh. "Yeah, it was."

"HALT!" ordered Styx and Amy and Rory came to a stop with the rest of the Sontarans. "We shall regroup in order to discuss tactics. The human scum will stay here."

Amy and Rory glared at Styx as the Sontarans huddled around each other. "I am really tired of being called scum by potatoheads," muttered Amy as she and Rory stood to the side. She looked at Rory who was rubbing his head. "You alright?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Getting a bit of a headache."

Amy ran a hand through his hair almost absently and he stared at her in shock, a blush rising on his cheeks. "Sorry, did I do something wrong?" she asked, slightly thrown by the look in his eyes.

"No, no," he said at once, ducking his gaze. "Amy, I was wondering if…"

"Keep moving, human scum!" Styx ordered and whatever Rory was about to say was cut short. 

Amy could have smacked the potato for that. Especially since it had looked like Rory was finally going to make a move on her.

As they started their trek back up again, Amy wondered what exactly Rory would have said. Would he finally have asked her to start a romantic relationship with him? As a woman of the 52nd century, Amy had no problem with going through lovers like clothes but Rory was different. 

Even from the time that he came in, he had known Amy long enough to make a move but he hadn't dared for reasons Amy hadn't understood. Finally, this morning when Rose had helped her pick out the old Earth clothes, she had mustered up the courage to ask Rose for some friendly advice.

_"Rory is different," said Rose as she tossed her the skirt and leggings. "He's shy and he respects you far too much to go in for a one-night stand."_

_"How do I get him to make a move then?" asked Amy as she pulled her new clothes on._

_"Ease him into it," said Rose. "Flirt with him a bit more. Let him know you are interested."_

_"I thought I was already doing that," snapped Amy indignantly._

_Rose had giggled. "Amy, you flirt with everyone we meet," she pointed out._

_"So, I should pay more attention to Rory?" she asked, as if that was a bit of an odd concept._

_Rose nodded. "Yeah, you do that. And if he doesn't ask you after that, I'll be sure to smack some sense into him."_

Said man in question was still rubbing his head and Amy squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Don't worry, we'll get out of it," she promised him.

He smiled gratefully at her as they reached a wide chamber lit by solar lamps. "This is it," he whispered. "Any sign of the others?"

Amy ran her eyes around the chamber but couldn't see anyone around. Yet the hairs on her arms were raised like she was being watched. She moved closer to Rory. "Get ready to run," she whispered to him.

"Where are we going to run?" he hissed back.

Amy had to concede his point when she saw something pink out of the corner of her eye. She nudged Rory and pointed towards it. "The Rutans are here. Once they come out and start fighting, run to the pink flag," she whispered.

"SHOW YOURSELVES, RUTAN SCUM!" Styx shouted as the Sontarans picked up their chant of 'SONTAR-HA!"

"Now!" Amy yelled as the Rutans descended from their hiding places around the chamber. Amy and Rory ran towards the pink flag and were surprised to find a narrow passageway just out of sight. They entered it and found the Doctor and Rose crouching inside, who put a finger to their lips, asking them to be quiet.

In the chamber, it was chaos as the Sontarans and the Rutans battled it out. The Sontarans had good weapons but the Rutans could change their shape and create shields and better defensive tactics. Neither race was particularly interested in the human hostages that they had taken, nor were they concerned about the Heleonic segment for which this whole thing had been about.

"DIE DIE DIE DIE," Styx was yelling as he fired bolt after bolt.

The numbers were falling in equal measures on both sides and each side had summoned more forces from their respective ships. From their hiding place, the Doctor drew out the core to the Key to Time and pointed it towards the chamber.

It was pointing to a large red crystal encased in a transparent cube, hanging from the ceiling. 

"How are we going to get that?" murmured Amy.

Below the segment, the Sontarans and Rutans were fighting violently. "Hang on," said Rory. "I just want to try something."

Before anyone could stop him, he emerged out of their hiding place and picked up the makeshift pink flag that the Doctor had used to draw their attention. The Sontarans and Rutans paid him no mind as he kept his back to the chamber's walls and walked around the fighting. The segment was still glowing lazily as Rory tore off the shirt from the end of the 'flag' and used the metal rod to loop around the wiring holding the segment up.

Being mindful of the fighting factions, he tilted it towards himself and with a final tug, the crystal flew through the air, landing in his hands. He looked around quickly but the two clone races were completely unaware of his theft. He started to move back towards the hiding place where the Doctor, Rose and Amy were. He was almost there when Styx gave a roar.

"THE SEGMENT!" he screamed and even the Rutans stopped fighting. "The human scum have taken the segment."

Rory broke into a run after the Doctor, Rose and Amy through the narrow passageway. The Doctor was in the lead and he seemed to have some idea of where they were going. They heard sounds of pursuit behind them but it appeared that some of the Sontarans had got stuck in the narrow passageway and the Rutans who could have fitted more easily were busy fighting those caught Sontarans.

As they ran, they heard a loud explosion behind them and Rory ran into Amy's back with a painful wince. "Why'd you stop?" Amy asked the Doctor.

"Ssh," ordered the Doctor sharply. "Listen."

The four of them were quiet for a moment before Rose broke the silence. "Listen to what?" she asked.

"Exactly," said the Doctor. "It's gone quiet."

"So?" asked Rory. "We heard an explosion. Maybe one of the clone races decided to detonate a bomb."

The Doctor looked past Amy and Rose, and nodded at Rory. "Yes, that seems likely," he said. He tilted his head at Rory and walked towards him slowly. "Give me the segment, Rory."

Rory's grip tightened on the segment. "I can hold onto it," he said.

"I would prefer if I had it," said the Doctor in the same cautious tone.

"Doc, chill out," said Amy. "Rory will look after it."

The Doctor ignored her. "Rory," he prompted.

"No," said Rory, holding the segment away from the Doctor. "I mustn't give this to you."

"Rory, what're you on about?" Rose asked, confused.

"I have to keep this safe," said Rory, holding the crystal close as if it were a precious child.

"What's wrong with him, Doc?" Amy asked, looking scared.

"Rory, listen to me," said the Doctor, in a serious voice. "We are coming for you, Rory. We will find you. Tell the Vardans that. The Doctor is coming."

"Doc, what is going on?" Amy demanded, almost hysterical at this point.

"I am so sorry, Rory," said the Doctor and pointed the sonic screwdriver at Rory's head.

Rory screamed loudly in pain as he started to flicker in and out of existence. His body vanished completely, leaving a silhouette of a papery silver frame. It fluttered angrily at them before dissipating completely.

Over on the Vardan ship, Rory's eyes snapped open and he realised just how many scanners he was attached to. He looked up and saw several of the silver papery figures rustling and muttering amongst themselves.

He had to strain his ears to hear some of the words but he finally understood the gist of what they were saying.

"The Doctor has killed one of the Vardans we sent in as an impostor for the human male."

"He has threatened to attack."

"Prepare our defences."

"Put the human male in stasis."

"The Doctor must not be allowed to defeat the Vardans again."

"This time we shall be avenged."


	16. The Clone Wars: Mind Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Vardans are from the 'Invasion of Time' episode. The quotes are from various TV episodes.

_Previously_

_Over on the Vardan ship, Rory's eyes snapped open and he realised just how many scanners he was attached to. He looked up and saw several of the silver papery figures rustling and muttering amongst themselves._

_He had to strain his ears to hear some of the words but he finally understood the gist of what they were saying._

_"The Doctor has killed one of the Vardans we sent in as an impostor for the human male."_

_"He has threatened to attack."_

_"Prepare our defences."_

_"Put the human male in stasis."_

_"The Doctor must not be allowed to defeat the Vardans again."_

_"This time we shall be avenged."_

"What…" Amy was staring at the empty space where Rory had been, with a bewildered look on her face. "What happened?" she asked in a low voice.

"It wasn't Rory," said the Doctor gently, patting her shoulder.

"No," said Amy, shaking her head. "I was talking to him. It was him…it had to be him."

The Doctor tilted her chin up and met her eyes. "The Vardans had connected their scanners to Rory's brain which was why they could replicate his reactions," he explained. "Amy, we will find Rory."

"Who are these Vardans anyway?" Rose asked, rubbing Amy's shoulder in comfort.

"They are telepathic beings," said the Doctor with a grimace. "They can travel on whichever wavelength they want but they generally prefer the silver waveform that we saw just now."

"And they have Rory? Since when?" asked Rose.

"Up on the plateau when we were being fired at," Amy realised. "I lost sight of him in the chaos and he came out of nowhere and grabbed my arm."

"They must have taken him and replaced him with a double," nodded the Doctor. "Good news is, he is alive."

"What's the bad news?" asked Rose, with a growing sense of dread.

"I can't remember how to fight Vardans," admitted the Doctor. "That part of my memory is suspiciously blank."

~

"Can you get an accurate reading on the thought patterns of the Doctor and his companions?"

"No, the catacombs have lead deposits. It is making it harder to use telepathy on them."

"What about the male?"

"He has been put in stasis."

"Good, then we shall wait."

"Wait?"

"The Doctor will be bound by honour to come in search of his companions."

"Bait and trap. Excellent."

~

"Is it safe to do this here?" Rose asked as they sat down in the clearing further down the passageway. It was a cramped space and did not give them much of a chance to move. When all three of them were sitting down, their knees were bumping with each other's.

"The Vardans faltered only when Rory walked into this passageway with us," said the Doctor briskly. He was now wearing his coat over his bare torso and the bandages were almost white. "There must be something about this place that disturbs the Vardans' telepathy. We can use this to our advantage."

"What exactly are we doing?" asked Amy, fidgeting impatiently. "Shouldn't we be marching into the Vardan ship and demand them to release him?"

"Without knowing anything about them?" asked the Doctor dryly. "You know better, Amy."

Amy gave a grudging nod. "Fine, explain it again," she conceded.

"Recalling suppressed memories can be a tricky process," said the Doctor. "Especially in this regeneration of mine."

"Why?" asked Amy.

"He's more telepathic in this one," explained Rose.

"Yes," nodded the Doctor. "Also, I have had a lot of trouble with my memory in this body. Not to mention the incident with the trap in the Eye of Harmony." Amy opened her mouth, probably to ask about the Eye of Harmony when Rose beat her to it.

"I got to meet all 7 of the Doctors before him," she said and then turned to the Doctor. "How are Amy and I supposed to help?"

"You two are going to enter my mind," he said in a grave tone. "Understand very clearly that this is very dangerous. I would not hold it against you if you don't want to."

"Just tell us what to do, Doc," snapped Amy as Rose gave a determined nod.

The Doctor looked at both of them and then nodded. "Once you are in my mind, you are going to help me open the doors of the suppressed memory. The reason that I can't do it on my own is that my mind will reject my efforts."

"So we are going to be your encouragement?" asked Amy. She understood telepathy a bit better since humans had started dabbling in mind arts by her time.

"Good way of putting it," said the Doctor with a small smile. "Yes, you two are going to encourage me to open that door. I will resist and rebel but you have to make me open it. Understand?"

Amy and Rose nodded in determination and the Doctor placed one hand against Rose's temple and the other against Amy's. "Follow the orange light," he said, gently guiding them into his mind.

The two of them did as he told them and slowly, they could see themselves walking down a dark corridor until they came to a door through the orange haze. It was a heavily guarded door with locks of all shapes and forms on it.

They exchanged a quick look before Rose thought. Open up, Doctor. It's us.

For a moment, it seemed like nothing had happened but then the elaborate door melted away, leaving a plain white door in its place. Amy pushed it open and the two girls were almost startled out of the contact due to the loud voices permeating the air.

_One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxiety. Just go forward in your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine…_

_You can't rewrite history. Not one line._

_Perhaps I should go back. Back to my own planet._

_There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things. Things which act against everything that we believe in. They must be fought._

_People spend all their time making nice things and then other people come along and break them._

_Free will is not an illusion after all._

_Courage isn't just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It's being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway._

_A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting._

_Homo sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species._

_Do I have the right? Simply touch one wire against the other, and it's it? The Daleks cease to exist?_

_The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit their views._

"We have to keep moving," hissed Rose as she heard the Fourth Doctor's voice. It seemed like they were getting snatches of conversations from the different Doctors and they had to go on before they got lost in the chatter.

Amy was fascinated. She had known about regeneration and that the Doctor had regenerated several times but to hear four different voices with the same man's wisdom was an astonishing experience. She would have loved to stay and listen to the Doctors who came after that but Rose was right. They had to get this done.

"This way," said Amy, pointing to the orange haze which was moving in a labyrinth closer to the Fourth Doctor's voice.

Amy and Rose followed the haze and they came upon a door that was locked tighter than the first heavily guarded door. This door looked impenetrable.

"Doctor, you have to open the door," said Rose. The orange haze darkened to a red but nothing happened. "Please, Doctor."

"No…" came a disembodied voice that sounded like an echo of all the Doctors, future and past, refusing.

Amy knocked on the door. "Doc, you gotta open up," she said. "Rory will die if we don't save him."

The red lightened to an amber but the door still wouldn't open. Rose patted the door, willing with all her might that he would listen. "Doctor, please, we have to know what happened. We have to know if there is a way to defeat the Vardans…we have to…."

"Rose," interrupted Amy, pointing to the door which was turning into a white door. As it became clearer, they saw a figure eight signet on the door.

"The Seal of Rassilon," said Rose and then opened the door.

A rush of sound and images floated through the door, too fast for Amy and Rose to register though they did catch words like Gallifrey, Leela, Andred, Borusa, Rassilon, Vardans and Sontarans. And suddenly, they were back in that narrow passageway on Maxim Beta.

"Doctor, are you okay?" Rose asked, as she saw the Doctor clutching his head.

"Yes," he answered and looked up slowly. "I know what we have to do."

~

"It has been quite a while. Perhaps the Doctor has given up any hopes of saving the human male."

"DO NOT underestimate him. We underestimated him once and were nearly destroyed by the time loop that he caught us in."

"Understood. We will continue scanning."

It was silent for a few moments as the Vardans continued to scan the asteroid for telepathic waves.

"We are receiving brain waves compatible with the physiology of the Time Lords."

"Excellent. He has taken the bait."

"Correction. The waves are getting weaker. He is heading towards his craft."

"He has decided to abandon the male? No matter. We shall follow him into his time capsule. Get rid of the human male."

"Oh hello," came a cheerful voice and the Vardans were nearly shocked out of their telepathic waves as the Doctor smiled at them. Somehow, he had got past their ship's defences and into the main control room without anyone noticing.

"Impossible," hissed the Chief Vardan.

"His brain waves still show their presence near his craft," butted in another Vardan with shock.

"Really?" asked the Doctor in mock-confusion. "My mind must have got away from me then." He laughed at his own joke, pretending not to notice the hostile looks he was receiving.

"You betrayed us, Doctor," snarled the Chief Vardan. "The insult must be avenged."

"Yes, I understand," said the Doctor, pacing leisurely in the control room of the Vardan ship. "But you see, until a few minutes ago, I had no memory of what I had done to warrant your anger. And I have to say, now that I know, it makes no difference. You wished to use me as a puppet to rule Gallifrey and you were thwarted. Betrayed by the Sontarans too, as I recall."

"The Sontarans have been destroyed," said the Chief sounding a tad smug. "Undoubtedly they will grow their clones again but they have suffered a setback. Our grievance is with you, Doctor. Now, you will die."

~

"Now?" asked Rose, tossing the newly revealed fourth segment of the Key between her hands.

"Not yet," said Amy as they watched the scanner. "They bought the ruse, didn't they?"

"Yeah," said Rose, tossing the segment aside, before picking up the contraption that they had used to mislead the Vardans. Their recent jaunt in the Doctor's mind had left them both with a slight headache and the Doctor had given them a device to magnify the residual brain waves resembling his, which would trick the Vardans into thinking the Doctor was in the TARDIS while he snuck onto their ship.

"He has to give the signal soon," said Amy, her hand poised over the lever that the Doctor had told them about.

"He won't give the signal if he doesn't see Rory," said Rose, biting her thumb in worry. "How long do we wait?"

Amy met her eyes. "As long as it takes?"

Rose nodded back determinedly. "As long as it takes."

~

Over on the Vardan ship, the Doctor was being strapped onto a flat surface. Rory was lying on a similar thing next to him but he appeared to be unconscious. The Doctor strongly suspected that he had been put in a stasis state.

"Before we end your life, Time Lord, all your secrets shall be ours," declared the Chief.

"Fine," said the Doctor dryly. "Just make sure you are prepared for them. Because I must warn you, my mind isn't the easiest place to be. Over a thousand years' worth of memories, you understand. Every life I took, every suffering I ever witnessed, every planet I saw die, every star I saw perish, every civilisation I saw fall, every friend I ever lost, every moment of pain I felt…EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT. All of it. Up until this very moment. Right until NOW!"

Over on the TARDIS, Amy heard the word 'now' and pulled the lever. The sonic screwdriver in the Doctor's coat pocket lit up and emitted a sonic wave so high that it was nearly impossible to hear. But for every Vardan, it was the agony of the worst kind. Brain waves could be modulated and scrambled with a proper beam and conductor. The beam came from the TARDIS and the screwdriver was the conductor as the sonic wave pulsed through the air, scrambling the telepathic nerves of the Vardans.

They dematerialised slowly, screaming in agony the whole time. It was all over rather quickly yet the screams continued to echo for a while in the silence. The Doctor felt heaviness in his hearts at the murder he had just committed and he stayed unmoving until Rose and Amy ran into the Vardan ship.

"Doctor!" Rose ran to him as Amy set about removing Rory from the stasis state. "Thank god," she murmured as she got him free and threw her arms around him.

The Doctor hugged her back, grateful for her presence. He knew that he didn't have a choice. 

The Vardans were dangerous, even to Time Lords. It was his duty to stop them; he had done his duty, yet he felt pain at having to end the lives of such an intelligent species. There were undoubtedly more Vardans on their planet, perhaps still trapped in the time loop from years ago. 

The few that had been here had to have escaped from it in the first place.

He felt Rose kiss his forehead before hugging him tightly again and he felt the guilt begin to loosen. He pressed his lips against her hair, and realised that he would forgive himself in time. 

For now, her forgiveness was enough.

~

Rory felt like he had the worst hangover in years when he woke up strapped to a cold table. He spotted a flash of red and smiled. "Amy…"

"Hey," she said and his gaze focused to find her smiling face. "I'll get you down in a minute."

He nodded and tried to make the world stop spinning. He felt the restraints loosen and he nearly lost his balance but Amy grasped his arms, steadying him. "Hi," he said, opening his eyes and feeling the world almost tilt.

Instead of answering, Amy kissed both of his cheeks twice before hugging him tightly. Rory was frozen at the actions and when Amy released him, he stared at her with wide eyes. "Can you tell me what I did?" he asked her finally. "For future reference?"

Amy laughed and it looked like she was about to kiss him when the Vardan ship gave a lurch. 

Next to them, the Doctor and Rose snapped out of their embrace. "The sonic wave," the Doctor realised. "It has upset the planet next doors I think."

Rose looked at him with a wide smile. "Run?" she asked cheekily.

The Doctor laughed and met Amy and Rory's eyes. "Run," he agreed.

And so they all did. All the way back to the TARDIS.


	17. Terror on Marquessa: Lake Indigo

In the depths of the TARDIS, the Doctor was putting together the Key to Time. The transparent cuboid structure was almost finished and there were only two more segments left to complete the structure. The Doctor sighed and set the core next to it.

After their last adventure which had resulted in nearly all of them being injured, the Doctor had been adamant in making his companions take a long rest. For that very purpose, he had got out of bed before Rose had woken up and set the course for Lake Indigo on the yet-uninhabited planet of Cassiopeia in early 22nd century.

The TARDIS had landed long before his companions had woken up and the Doctor had finished up minor repairs in the TARDIS while they filtered into the console room one by one. Upon hearing that they were getting a day of rest and relaxation, the three humans had rushed out of the doors immediately to take in their surroundings.

Cassiopeia was a serene planet with rich natural resources that would be colonised by early-23rd century. Lake Indigo would later become one of its prime spa spots but for now, it was a calm, deep blue lake. It was surrounded by tall, dark green pine trees along its banks which kept the lake mostly shaded from the twin suns overhead. Despite that, the water was a lovely bath water warm along the edges and it got cooler as they waded in deeper. The banks were made of a light blue sand that the Doctor had told them was a result of the mineral deposits from the lake. At slightly alarmed looks from the humans, he had laughed and assured them that they wouldn't come out of the water looking like Smurfs.

He had left them to enjoy the sun and the sights and returned to the TARDIS to assemble the Key. His own injuries had healed but there was still scarring along his torso. He could have used the dermal regenerator to correct it but given the slow healing process of the healing bandages, he hadn't wanted to mix the treatments. Natural healing would take its course and the scars would be not be visible after two more days.

He walked out of the TARDIS to find Amy and Rory chasing each other in the water, screams and exclamations of joy escaping them now and then. He grinned at the sight and then searched the banks for Rose. She was lying in a sunny spot on the light blue sand, sunbathing in her ivory coloured bikini. Upon seeing him, she waved enthusiastically, and the Doctor smiled and walked towards her.

"Having fun?" he asked, taking his coat off and sitting down next to her.

"Are you really going to try and get any sun while wearing a vest and cravat?" she questioned.

Rolling his eyes, he loosened his cravat and tossed it off. Rose grinned at him as he took off the vest and then lay down next to her. "Better?" he asked.

"It's better than nothing," she shrugged, knowing that she would never be able to actually get him to dress properly for a day in the sun. "So, what brought this on?"

He turned on his side, propping his head on one elbow. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"A day of R&R," said Rose, waving a hand at their surroundings for emphasis.

"I suppose we all needed it," he said, linking his free hand with hers.

"Your chest still hurt?" she asked in concern.

"No, it's healed," he answered. He surreptitiously inspected her palms and nodded in satisfaction when there was no major scarring on them. When he looked back at her, she was smiling in amusement. "What?" he asked her.

"You worry too much," she told him.

"I don't worry enough," he corrected her seriously. "This quest was thrust upon us with no warning. You and Amy and Rory, you didn't ask for all this. Certainly not the danger that it entailed."

"Doctor, our lives were not really all that safe before the Guardians anyway," said Rose gently. "It's just a part of it all."

The Doctor frowned. "It wasn't all bad, was it?" he asked, his brow wrinkling.

Rose laughed. "Course not," she said. "The danger is part of the fun, Doctor." When he continued to frown, Rose looked curiously at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," he murmured distractedly. He smiled at her concern. "I really am. I just wonder if sometimes you really want to be here."

Rose looked confused. "Where else would I be? Back home? Eating chips, folding clothes?"

"Safe," he corrected.

"I thought I already said that danger was part of the fun," protested Rose. "What's got into you today?"

The Doctor sighed and fell back in the sand. "I suppose I am a bit melancholic today," he conceded. "The last time I assembled the Key, Romana and I barely escaped. Romana had to regenerate soon after that. It's a difficult task, that's all."

"And we are through most of it," said Rose, squeezing his hand. "Just two more and then it's back to our usual mad adventures."

The Doctor smiled and raised their linked hands to stroke her cheek. "Yeah," he agreed with a small smile. "I suppose we should visit your mother soon too."

Rose grimaced. "Yeah, she's not happy with me lately," she said. "But it can wait until the Key is assembled. You can take Amy and Rory off for a few days and drop me on Earth for a week or so."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a plan," he nodded and looked towards the lake where Amy and Rory's game was winding down. They were both now floating lazily on the water, talking in hushed voices. "Speaking of plans," said the Doctor in a low voice.

Rose followed his gaze and then looked back at him. "You wanna play matchmaker?" she asked incredulously. The last thing she ever expected was the Doctor bringing it up.

"I can't stand unrequited love," he said firmly.

"Well, we could always lock them in a cupboard on the TARDIS until they confess their feelings," suggested Rose.

The Doctor laughed. "Drastic but effective," he nodded. "But it could be subtler, I expect."

"Like what?" Rose asked. "Should we pass notes?"

The Doctor tickled her bare side and she squealed with laughter as she tried to move away from him. "Nothing quite so juvenile," he said, smiling at her flushed face. "Perhaps things will run their course."

"Can't you know for sure, high and mighty Time Lord?" teased Rose, her tongue touching the side of her mouth.

The Doctor tried to tickle her again but Rose was faster this time and the two of them wrestled playfully in the sand for a while until the Doctor overpowered her and pinned her wrists on either side of her head. "What I was suggesting until I was so deliberately insulted," he began with mock outrage. "Was to let the two of them reach the natural progression of their relationship."

"How long will that take?" Rose asked, slightly breathless as a result of their tussle.

The Doctor stared at her thoughtfully, completely mindful of their close proximity. "It's difficult to say," he answered.

Rose stared wordlessly back at him, searching his eyes to see how far he was going to take this harmless bit of flirting. The Doctor did not look ready to back down. In fact, he was growing increasingly more thoughtful. "What's wrong?" Rose asked finally.

"Sometimes, you scare me, Rose Tyler," he murmured in an almost absent tone.

"Why?" asked Rose, afraid of the answer yet wanting to know either way.

The Doctor sighed and released her wrists. "You were reading a book about Gallifrey's history," he said, lying down on his back and staring at the sky.

Rose turned on her side to look at him. "Yeah," she said. "I only did it 'cos you wouldn't tell me the whole story," she added, slightly defensively.

The Doctor turned his head to gaze at her. "What did you learn?" he asked.

"Not much," Rose shrugged. "Some stuff about the Pythia, Rassilon and Omega. I only read a bit about the Other."

"Why are you so curious about him?" asked the Doctor.

"Why are you so reluctant that I should not know anything about him?" she countered.

"Dangerous questions, Rose," he murmured, looking at the sky again. It appeared it was going to rain later.

"You're still not answering them," said Rose, sitting up and frowning at him.

The Doctor was a quiet for a long moment and Rose was ready to tear her hair out in frustration. She was about to get up and leave when the Doctor spoke softly. "Have you ever had a secret? A secret so terrible that no one could ever know about it?"

Rose frowned as she thought about it. "I suppose so," she agreed. "Some things I went through with Jimmy would qualify for that." The Doctor looked at her in concern but she waved it away. "You were saying," she prompted.

"I have been alive for so long that I have accumulated my fair share of secrets," he confessed. "But there is one secret that…that's everything."

"About the Other?" guessed Rose. "Is that why you can't tell me? You know something about him that has to be kept secret?"

"Yes, and no," he said. "It was the Other's secret. But it is mine to keep as well."

"I don't understand," said Rose.

"Perhaps it is better that you don't," he said seriously. "I don't know why you could activate that defence, Rose. I wish I knew. But every explanation that I have come up with so far has been weaker than the one before it."

"You would tell me if there was something wrong with me, wouldn't you?" asked Rose quietly.

"There's nothing…" he trailed off at a look from Rose. He sighed and nodded. "Yes, I will," he promised.

Rose smiled and bent down to kiss his cheek. "Right then," she murmured, pulling away. "Think I'll go back to the TARDIS. Had enough of the sun."

The Doctor smiled back as she gathered up her towel and things and left in the direction of the TARDIS. He looked at the lake and found Amy and Rory still talking. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he decided to leave them alone and headed towards the TARDIS after Rose.

~

"So, you do miss it," Amy was saying to Rory.

"Yeah, sometimes," nodded Rory. "It's been almost three years since I have been anywhere near a proper patient."

Amy smiled at him. "Sorry to hear that," she said.

"What about you?" asked Rory. "Do you miss being a Time Agent? Or a pirate?" he added cheekily.

Amy splashed some water towards him and giggled when he sputtered after receiving a face full of water. "I do miss being a Time Agent sometimes," she confessed. "I got to see a lot of places, met a lot of interesting people. But when the CIA and Time Agency merged, I couldn't stay."

"Yeah, not a big fan of the CIA either," said Rory. "They wanted to wipe my memories the first time I met them."

"The Time Lords have their own brand of flaws," nodded Amy. "The Doctor is different but the CIA is Time Lord dominance at its height. I am still surprised he supported the merger."

"The President is his friend," said Rory. "At least that's what Rose told me. It was her first move as President."

"That explains some of it," agreed Amy. "But I couldn't work with Time Lords. Not even if you paid me. Too many rules and not enough freedom in my opinion. So, I went freelance. It was fun but I do miss having structure to my life."

"Yeah, structure kinda got chucked into space once I started travelling in the TARDIS," said Rory with a chuckle. "Even in Rome, I had a routine of some sort. But now…"

"I know what you mean," murmured Amy. "Think you would have returned to Earth if you had family?"

"Most likely, yeah," he agreed. "What about you?"

"Yeah, I think I would have returned to Nova Scotia if mum and dad were still alive," she said. "My old aunt is a hag though. No way am I seeing her ever again."

"You're from Canada?" asked Rory with some surprise.

Amy laughed. "No, Nova Scotia is in an asteroid belt with different colonies. New Scotland, see? I hadn't been to Earth until I became a Time Agent. But my ancestors came from your Earth."

Rory nodded along to that. He hadn't dared to ask Amy about her family before. It seemed like a sore subject and he could relate to that. A gust of cool wind made them both shiver. "Think it's gonna rain," said Rory, looking at the sky.

"The Doctor and Rose went inside some time ago," said Amy. "Think we should go back too. The next segment awaits."

Rory nodded as they both waded to the shore and climbed out of the water. "Wonder where it will take us this time," he said as he grabbed his towel.

Amy smiled and opened the TARDIS doors. "Wherever or whenever it is, it's going to be fun."

And Rory couldn't help but agree as he followed her into the TARDIS. The Doctor waved at them as they came in. He had already fetched the core and was plugging it into the console.

"Hey," said Rose as she came into the console room, dressed and ready. "Do we have a destination yet?"

There was a beep and the Doctor read the coordinates quickly. "Yes," he answered. "A space base named Marquessa. 47th century."


	18. Terror on Marquessa: Arrival

_Previously_

_"Hey," said Rose as she came into the console room, dressed and ready. "Do we have a destination yet?"_

_There was a beep and the Doctor read the coordinates quickly. "Yes," he answered. "A space base named Marquessa. 47th century."_

"Never heard of it," said Amy. "Where is it?"

"Milky Way, close to home," said the Doctor with a grin at Rose and Rory. "It's a sanctuary base on Nimbus Prime."

"Is that a planet?" asked Rose.

"Yes," answered the Doctor. "A sanctuary base is used for deep space exploration. The Earth government is most likely trying to determine if it is ideal for colonisation or a mineral-rich planet."

"Isn't 47th century when the Terra-Aresian Cold War took place?" asked Amy.

The Doctor nodded. "But we should be fine. It's been five years since an official truce was enacted by both governments," he said.

"Who are the Aresians?" asked Rory warily.

"Martians," answered the Doctor. "Ares was the Greek equivalent of…"

"God of war, Mars," nodded Rory. "So, little green men?" he asked, only half-joking.

"Well they are green," nodded the Doctor. "But definitely not little. Get dressed, we'll be landing soon." He flicked a lever to direct the flight of the TARDIS while Amy and Rory went inside to change.

"Why was there a Cold War between humans and Martians?" asked Rose curiously.

"The solar flares of the 29th century almost destroyed the Martian race," said the Doctor, without looking up from the controls. "They thrive in a cold environment which made Mars an ideal place for them. But after that, they clashed continually with the Earth government about the sharing of technologies. Both sides started to prepare for war, and the goal was Mutually Assured Destruction. It was only a matter of who would fire the first shot."

"And who fired it?" asked Rose.

"No one," said the Doctor, looking at her with a smile. "It was just a Cold War. Several intergalactic organisations intervened to bring about peace but it is said that a traveller sat down the contingent from Mars and calmed them down."

"A traveller?" Rose asked with a grin.

The Doctor winked at her. "Yep, absolutely anonymous. He was not acting on orders, you see. So he chose not to make his interference public," he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "But that was a long time ago. Quite a few lifetimes ago, as a matter of fact."

Rose shook her head, grinning madly. "Only you, Doctor," she said, amused.

"I'll remind you, Miss Tyler, that the alternative was too ghastly to contemplate," he said.

"You don't have to tell me," agreed Rose. "Only thing worse than an actual war is the fear of war. People would have been panicking."

"Economies are unstable, people are frightened and irrational. More likely to lash out," nodded the Doctor.

"It's funny that even after twenty-seven centuries, the effects of a Cold War are the same," said Rose with a sigh.

"That's because human nature is the same," said the Doctor wisely. "People may change over time but instincts are primal, and they function to survive."

"Did you just imply that all humans are primal apes?" asked Rose, raising her eyebrows.

"Well they are," he said and then smiled sheepishly at her angry glare. "It is who they are. Makes them one of the races in the universe who have always managed to surprise me. No other species is as diverse in their nature as humans."

"I think that was a compliment," said Rose, wrinkling her nose at him.

"Hey, waxing philosophical, are we?" Amy asked as she emerged into the console room. "And where's Rory?"

"Right behind you," he answered as he walked in after her. "Have we landed yet?"

"Yes, almost," said the Doctor, as he initiated the landing sequence. The TARDIS engine noises started up as it began to materialise in the new place. The Doctor pulled the handbrake and checked the scanner quickly. "Here we are," he said. "Space Base Marquessa. The year is 4672."

Rose was the closest to the door, so she opened it and stepped out into a poorly lit room. She squinted through the darkness and guessed that it was a storage room guessing from the tightly packed boxes and cargo around it.

"A bit dark, isn't it?" Amy asked as she looked over her shoulder. "Think there'll be a light switch around there."

Rose nodded and navigated her way through the boxes to the far wall. She ran her hand across it blindly and fumbled with the switch when she found it. Instantly, a bright light flooded the storage room.

"It sure is packed," whistled Rory as he walked out of the TARDIS and looked around at the large number of boxes.

"They need all of this," said Amy rationally. "Out here in deep space, you'll be lucky if one transport ship can make it every five years. And judging from this hold, it is still a small crew."

"Eight of them, to be exact," said the Doctor. He had stepped out of the TARDIS last, having been busy getting the core, but he was already studying a holographic screen on one of the walls.

Rose walked up behind him and read the names. "Captain Finley Roswell, First Officer Vena Martin, Medic Demarcus Bentley, Head of Security Calliope Yeo," she read. "Who are the other four?"

"Must be regular personnel," said Amy, having heard their conversation.

The Doctor pressed a command and the screen shifted to reveal the four other names. "Juniper Vargas, Fred Llewellyn, Anne Minton and Yuri West," he read out. "Small crew."

"And very lax on security," commented Rory. "Why hasn't anyone come running to arrest us?"

"That is a good question, Rory," said the Doctor, frowning. "Someone should have…ah…"

"What?" asked Rose.

"We are being watched," he said and pointed at a moving black sphere with a single lens as its 'eye'. "I have seen one of these before," he murmured. "Hello!" he said loudly, waving at the sphere. "Having a ball, are you?"

"Ugh, I can't believe you just said that," said Rose, making a face.

The Doctor grinned at her and back at the sphere. "Hello? Is anyone there? Or am I talking to myself? Again."

His companions shot him amused looks but they all jumped when a loud voice echoed through the room. "State your name, rank and purpose," the male voice ordered.

"Ah, Captain Roswell, I presume," said the Doctor, smiling at the camera. "I'm the Doctor and these are my companions: Rose, Rory and Amy. We were here exploring and accidentally landed our ship in your storage hold."

There was silence on the other end before Captain Roswell spoke again. "Yes, we saw it happen. Quite a trick you got there," he said, heavy sarcasm evident in his voice. "Are you armed?"

The Doctor looked at Amy who rolled her eyes and pulled out her sonic blaster. "Just me," she answered and set it down on one of the boxes, clear in the line of sight of the observers.

The storage room door slid open, the invitation clear. The Doctor grinned brightly at the sphere and started to walk out. "Come on you lot," he called, and the three humans hurried after him.

The corridor outside was lit brightly and had big glass windows along it. "Whoa," gasped Rory. "This place is beautiful."

"Beautiful and deadly," came the Captain's voice and they saw a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark skin and a grim countenance approach them slowly. "I'm Captain Roswell. The one pointing her gun at you is my head of security Calliope Yeo." The four time travellers whirled around to see a woman with dark hair and almond shaped eyes pointing a gun at them, just as the Captain had said. "Put it down, Callie," ordered the Captain.

"Aye, sir," said Callie and lowered her weapon.

"Take them to the conference room. I'll rally the troops and see you there," said the Captain.

"This way," said Callie, nodding down the corridor.

The Doctor nodded politely at the Captain and gestured to his companions to follow. Callie led them down the corridor and they were treated to a glimpse of Nimbus Prime as they walked. The planet outside was lush and green, with trees and shrubs growing on almost every surface.

"What do you think he meant when he said it was deadly?" Rory asked Rose in a low voice.

"Might be poisonous plants or something," shrugged Rose.

"Among other things," said Callie, without turning around. "Here," she added, pressing a button to slide open the door. Inside the room was a long conference table with chairs arranged around it. Four people were already inside: two men and two women. "Meet more of our team," said Callie in a bored voice. "The medic Demarcus Bentley," she pointed at the handsome curly haired man with the sharp jaw. "…this is Yuri West." The other man nodded at the visitors.

"I'm Juniper," said the younger woman with a friendly smile, before Callie could do so. "And this is Anne."

"Well, you already know who we are," said the Doctor with a smile.

"How did you get here?" asked Yuri, looking a bit suspicious. "We didn't see your ship on any of our radars until you were in the storage hold."

"I'm sure the Captain will investigate that, Yuri," said Juniper reassuringly.

"I'm just saying…" shrugged Yuri, looking more distrustful of the unexpected guests. "They could be spies. Could be Aresians."

"You think we are Martians?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Martian spies, maybe," said Yuri, narrowing his eyes.

"Pipe down with your conspiracy theories, Yuri," said the Captain as he walked in with the last two members of the crew. "My second in command, Vena Martin," the Captain introduced, indicating the pretty brunette. "…and this is Fred. He was on duty when your ship arrived."

"I checked and double checked the radar," said Fred in a thick Welsh accent. "No sign of your craft before it landed."

"Yes, the TARDIS is rather special," said the Doctor.

The Captain sighed at the non-answer. "Listen Doctor, you haven't been able to give a straight answer so far to anything we have asked. I have done the courtesy of giving you the benefit of doubt but I'm losing patience," he said squarely.

"Why the hostility?" asked Amy, narrowing her eyes. "Thought this deep into space you'd be eager for company."

"This isn't even the beginning of hostile," snapped Callie, standing up.

"Everyone calm down," said the Doctor in a quiet voice. He looked at the Captain. "You are right, we do owe you an explanation. The TARDIS is my ship and we are travellers. We are freelancers you could say. But we do not mean you harm."

The Captain stared at the Doctor for a long moment and nodded. "Fair enough," he said. "So long as you don't harm my crew or sabotage us, we should get along fine."

The Doctor smiled. "Thank you, Captain. Now, is there any chance of a tour of the base?"

"Juniper, you and Yuri show the Doctor and his friends around," ordered the Captain.

"Why can't Fred do it?" Yuri asked grumpily.

"Fred's on duty and you will not question my orders again," said the Captain firmly, fixing Yuri with a look.

Yuri nodded grumpily. On the other hand, Juniper was far happier to be showing the visitors around. "Come on, this way," she said. "We'll start with the recreation room…"

~

Fred Llewellyn was back at his work station. The arrival of the four visitors had come as quite a shock. The last exciting thing in the past month had been the man-eating plant that Anne had discovered on one of their trips onto the planet's surface.

Fred snorted to himself and returned to the controls. He had three more hours before he could go back to his bunk but he was positive that there would be no more incidents during his shift. A boring day as usual. He wondered if the redhead with the Doctor's crew was single. Or the blonde, for that matter.

A proximity beacon lit up, drawing Fred away from his daydreams. He pressed the button for the viewing screen and nearly screamed in surprise when he saw the blips on the radar. Several ships in a fixed formation were approaching the star system really quickly. They were still far off for a proper identification but Fred recognised the formation.

"Captain to bridge. Captain to bridge," he said quickly, flipping on the communicator.

The door slid open behind him and the Captain strode onto the bridge. "What is it, Fred?"  
Fred pointed wordlessly at the screen and the Captain went still as a statue as he took in the sight. "Oh God," he murmured. "What's the ETA?"

"At this rate? A day, maybe less," said Fred.

"Sound the alert," the Captain. "Vena, we got a situation," he spoke into his communicator. "Get everyone to the bridge."

"What about the visitors?" asked Vena.

"All of them too," said the Captain. "We have an Aresian invasion on our hand."

~

The Doctor sighed in frustration and tucked the core back into his pocket. Nothing on the base had given off a strong signal yet. Yuri was still regarding all of them with suspicion but Juniper was friendly enough as she showed them around.

A loud alarm rang through the corridors and the Doctor looked at Juniper quizzically. "Something wrong?" he inquired politely.

Juniper took out her communicator. "Vargas to bridge. Fred, what's going on?" she asked.

"Junie, you and Yuri need to get here now. Bring the visitors," said Fred, sounding uncharacteristically tense.

"Why?" asked Yuri.

"Captain's orders," said Fred. "Hurry!"

"We better do as he says," said Juniper. "Come on, through here."

"What do you think has happened?" asked Rose.

"I don't know," said the Doctor.

"Any luck with the core?" Amy asked in a quiet voice.

"Not yet," said the Doctor. They passed an exit hatch and the core in his pocket made a faint sound.

Rory looked at the Doctor and then towards the exit hatch. "It's outside?" he asked.

"Appears so," said the Doctor with a frown.

They arrived on the bridge and all thoughts of the Key were driven from the time travellers' mind when they saw the approaching fleet. "Oh dear," murmured the Doctor.

"Who are they?" asked Rory.

"Martians, Aresians, whatever you wanna call them," said Demarcus quietly.

"Or as they call themselves," said the Doctor. "The Ice Warriors."


	19. Terror on Marquessa: The Ultimatum

_Previously_

_They arrived on the bridge and all thoughts of the Key were driven from the time travellers' mind when they saw the approaching fleet. "Oh dear," murmured the Doctor._

_"Who are they?" asked Rory._

_"Martians, Aresians, whatever you wanna call them," said Demarcus quietly._

_"Or as they call themselves," said the Doctor. "The Ice Warriors."_

_**Thirteen hours later…** _

"How are we doing?" asked the Captain as he entered the medbay.

Rory looked up from the equipment. "Fine so far," he nodded. "Any word from the others?"

The Captain sighed. "No," he answered. "Where's Bentley?"

"I told him to take a nap," said Rory, rubbing his own eyes tiredly. "Roll up your sleeve please, Captain." The Captain nodded and did as he was told. Rory checked the syringe and carefully injected it into his arm. "That's all done."

"Should keep me going another twelve hours," nodded the Captain as he rolled his sleeve back and stood up. "Thank you, Rory."

"Anytime," he said, giving him a quick smile.

The Captain nodded and left, already trying to get through to Callie via his communicator. Rory picked up his own and pressed the switch. "Hey, it's me," he said.

"How's it going in there?" asked Amy, sounding cheerful despite the underlying tension.

"Quiet," said Rory. "I'm hoping it stays that way. Only Anne to look after." He glanced towards where Anne was hooked to the machines, after suffering from a praxis gas poisoning due to the smoke bomb that had been dropped through the planet's atmosphere. "How're you doing?"

"Alright," she said. "It's been quiet here. Vena and I haven't had a lot to do. The perimeter of the base is still secure and there hasn't been a second attack from the Ice Warriors yet."

"Have the Doctor or Rose been in touch yet?" he asked.

"No," she said. "Not since we lost communication three hours ago. Did the Captain have news?"

"No," said Rory, feeling like a broken record. "He was trying to get to Callie…but I don't think he had luck."

Amy sighed. "Yeah, I figured," she said. "Fred and Yuri are still watching the skies but it seems the ship is just hovering in the airzone. They can blast us apart quicker than you could believe but they are just waiting."

"For what?" asked Rory, feeling the dread in his stomach.

"I don't know," said Amy.

"Knock-knock," said Juniper as she knocked on the open door of the medbay.

"Amy, I'll check in with you later," said Rory as he put the communicator down and stood up. "Hey, how can I help?"

"Is Bent around?" asked Juniper. "I need my shot of Prep."

"I can do that," said Rory, fetching a clean syringe and a vial of the drug. "Bentley is taking a nap. He was working on stabilising Anne for almost an hour."

Juniper nodded, distressed as she looked at Anne's prone form. "I should have gone with her to man the perimeter," she said.

"Hey, it's not your fault," said Rory, injecting the needle into her arm. "We didn't expect the ships to be here this soon."

"Ship," corrected Juniper. "Fred and Yuri have checked and double-checked. The rest of the formation is coming along at a slower pace but this ship must have entered into warp to get here so quickly."

Rory nodded as he gestured for her to roll her sleeve back down. "You will be fine for 12 more hours," he said. "If you start getting fatigued though, come see me."

"Thanks, Rory," said Juniper gratefully. "It's nice of you to help out."

"I'm a nurse. That's what I do," he shrugged.

"And is Amy a guard?" asked Juniper. "She volunteered to man the perimeter with Vena."

"Close enough," nodded Rory with a chuckle.

"So what about the Doctor and Rose? Why did they volunteer to go with Callie to the surface?" asked Juniper.

"Because that is what they do," said Rory, truthfully.

"And what exactly is that?" asked Juniper curiously.

Rory gave a melancholic smile. "Jump into the unknown without caring about themselves."

~

"Are the communicators still down?" Rose asked, keeping pressure on Callie's wound.

Callie nodded as she panted slightly. "Yeah," she said. She pressed the button again. "Yeo to base. Come in, please!" There was just static on the other end.

"We must be too far away, or the foliage is blocking the signal," said the Doctor. "Callie, this is going to sting just a bit."

"Aargh," she yelped as the Doctor dropped some disinfectant on her ankle wound.

"Sorry," he said sincerely. "This is the best I can do with the equipment we have."

"I know," nodded Callie, pain still evident on her features. "Damn my lack of foresight."

"You couldn't have predicted a giant tentacled plant grabbing your wrists and ankles," said Rose. "None of the crew have travelled this far from the base yet."

"Yeah, but I should have been on the lookout either way," said Callie, looking pale. "If you two hadn't cut me down as quickly as you did, I would have done a lot worse than a bleeding ankle and dislocated shoulder."

"There," said the Doctor as he finished bandaging her ankle. "Now, the shoulder."

Callie sat up straighter with Rose's help and the Doctor put one hand near the shoulder joint and held her arm with the other. "On three. 1…" He popped the joint back in place and Callie screamed a few choice words that the TARDIS didn't translate.

"I thought…" she panted. "You were going to count to three."

"Better to do it when you are not expecting it," said the Doctor, searching through his coat. He found nothing that could be fashioned into a sling, so he tore his vest off and used it cradle. Callie's injured shoulder. "That should hold," he said, tying the knot behind Callie's neck.

"I can't walk though," she said. "You and Rose have to go on without me."

"We are not leaving you here," said Rose, at once.

"You have to," said Callie. "I will start making my way back to the base. It's a mostly downhill journey and I can use a branch as a walking stick."

"It's still too risky," said Rose. "What if you get hurt?"

"Look, we know that I get a comm. signal about half a mile down. I'll signal for help from there," said Callie.

The Doctor looked reluctant but knew that Callie was right. "Alright," he agreed.

"You can't be serious," said Rose, astonished.

"Rose, we have to find the point of origin if we want to activate this planet's defence systems," said the Doctor. Rose didn't look happy as she helped Callie stand. The Doctor gave Calliea sturdy branch to use as a walking stick. "Call for help as soon as you have a signal," he told her seriously.

Callie nodded. "Be careful. Both of you," she said.

"We will," said Rose with a small smile. "You be careful too."

"I'll watch out for grabby plants," she joked as she started to hobble away slowly. "See you soon."

The Doctor and Rose kept an eye on her until she got lost in the foliage and they couldn't see her anymore. "We should keep going," said the Doctor.

Rose sighed and started to climb up the path. "Are you sure it's up this hill?" she asked.

"Yes," said the Doctor. A loud whirring noise emanated from his pocket and he glanced at the core in astonishment.

"Why is that lighting up?" Rose asked.

"We must be close to the segment," he said.

"Do you think it's close to the source?" asked Rose.

"Must be," he said. "Come on."

Rose hurried after him as they both climbed the steep path through the trees. Some of the trees cleared and Rose chanced a quick look down at the valley, a decision she regretted instantly when she was hit with a feeling of vertigo.

"Whoa there," said the Doctor, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," nodded Rose. "Shouldn't have looked down. It's beautiful…but…"

"Yes, quite understandable," said the Doctor, stroking her cheek in comfort. "We must be several miles up from the sea level."

Rose chuckled weakly. "Yeah, trying not to think about that too much," she said. She looked ahead at the path and the sun glinted off something shiny. "What's that?" she asked.

The Doctor followed her gaze and saw the glint too. "Oh," he said, in a voice full of awe. "That, Rose Tyler, is the most beautiful thing in the universe."

Rose looked at him in confusion as the Doctor led her through the thick undergrowth towards the glinting object. It was a transparent sphere about the size of a basketball with golden rims around the circumference. "What is it?" she asked as the Doctor picked it up and looked at it with a look akin to reverence on his face.

"It's a globe," he said.

"I can see that," said Rose.

"No, I mean it's the most important globe there is," he said. "When new star systems are formed, Earth government drops off a handful of these around the new planets."

"What for?" asked Rose.

"Terraforming," said the Doctor with a wide grin. "Some of these globes create a land worthy of colonisation and this is what this beauty here has done."

"All this?" asked Rose, waving at the thick, lush greenery around them. "Came from that?" she asked, pointing at the small globe.

"Indeed it did," said the Doctor. "Quite a miracle it has done. The terraforming has been successful, all thanks to this."

"How does this help us now?" asked Rose.

"Not directly it doesn't," said the Doctor, setting the globe down. "But if the globe was dropped here then the origin must be close by. Hang on," he said, looking at a small clearing through the foliage. "I think there's a cave here."

"Doctor, wait," Rose called as she hurried after him. "Doctor?" There was no sign of him. "Doctor!"

Her own voice echoed back at her, as she found herself quite alone in the thick forest on the hill.

~

"Rory!"

Rory jerked awake and answered his communicator. "Hey, what happened?"

"Callie got in touch. She's heading back but she is injured," said Amy.

"What about the Doctor and Rose?" he asked frantically.

"They're fine. They just kept moving. Vena and I are meeting her halfway. Do you wanna come along?" she asked.

"Yeah, give me a second to pack some supplies," he said.

"Alright, meet me up front in five minutes," she said and buzzed off.

Rory took a bag and dropped essential supplies into it. He woke Bentley and told him to keep an eye on Anne and the medbay, and left to meet Amy and Vena outside the base. "Hey," he greeted. "Which way?"

"West," said Vena. "Come on."

Rory kept a brisk pace as he followed Amy and Vena through the trees and growth. This planet was fascinating. It reminded him of the Amazon, except it was slightly cooler here. He glanced at Amy and saw her lips quirked in delight, despite the grave situation that they were in. Working like this just felt so natural.

They heard a rustling through the bushes and Vena put up a hand to bring them to a stop. Amy kept her gun trained towards the bush while Vena went forward slowly and moved the shrubbery out of the way.

"Just me," said Callie, looking exhausted but not seriously injured. Nevertheless, Rory ran to her and quickly assessed her injuries with a medical scanner. "Okay, so do you want me treat you here or can you wait until we are back at the medbay?" he asked.

"Medbay will be fine," she said. "The Doctor did a good job of patching me up."

Rory nodded and slung her uninjured arm over his shoulder. "Lean on me as much as you want," he told her.

Callie looked relieved as she used Rory for support. The four of them arrived at the base and Rory immediately helped Callie into the medbay. Bentley was already waiting and between the two of them, they had Callie patched up and resting within minutes.

"Amy, Vena!" called Bentley. "When was the last time you two took Prep?"

"Ten hours ago," said Vena, and Amy nodded the same.

"I'll still give you one now," he said. "Amy, if you are more comfortable with Rory…"

"Yeah," she nodded and gave Rory a smile. He indicated the seat and Amy sat down and took off her jacket before rolling up her shirt sleeves.

"This won't hurt much," he promised as he filled up the syringe and quickly injected her. Amy winced lightly and Rory apologised quietly as he took the syringe back out. "All done."

"Thanks," smiled Amy, as she put her jacket back on. "You really miss this, don't you?" she asked in a low voice.

Rory nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I do."

Amy smiled understandingly but the moment was interrupted as it suddenly went dark outside. 

"What's going on?" Bentley asked, alarmed.

"Earthlingssss." A chilling, throaty voice echoed from the skies, magnified several times.

"The Ice Warriors," Vena said, looking terrified.

"You have one chanccce to ssssurender. Lower your defenccccessss and we will show merccccccy. You have until the new rotation ccccycle of thisss planet before the Ice Warriorssss will launch an offenssssive attack."

The voice went quiet and the darkness dissipated, leaving the evening sky as before. The base was deathly silent before the Captain's voice came over the PA system. "All personnel to Bridge. At once."

"What was that?" Rory asked as they hurried towards the bridge.

Amy frowned grimly. "An ultimatum. And we have until the morning to decide."

~

Rose had heard the ultimatum too but she was much too concerned about the Doctor right now. She couldn't understand where he had gone off to.

"Doctor!" she called again, trying to look for the cave that he said he had found.

A cold sharp claw bit into her side and Rose screamed in pain as a tall, intimidating alien came in sight. It was wearing hard, green armour and had big orange guards over its eyes.

"Come with usssss," it hissed.

A second alien grabbed her other arm with its claw like hand and pulled her through the trees. A slab of rock slid open, revealing a cave inside. Rose watched with wide eyes as she saw a second door through the cave, this one made of metal.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, trying to struggle but not being able to move too much without hurting herself severely.

"You are our prissssoner," hissed one of them as it touched the claw to an opening mechanism towards the door. The door opened slowly and Rose had to squint because of the bright, flashy lights of the inside of a spaceship.

"What?" Rose wondered, confused by what she was seeing.

"About sums up what I was thinking," she heard the Doctor say, from where he was being held captive. "Have you met the Ice Warriors, Rose?"

"Yeah," said Rose, trying not to grimace in pain. "Can't say I care much for their hospitality."

"Neither can I," said the Doctor.

"Sssssilenccccce," hissed one of the Ice Warriors. "Resssstrain the Earthling."

Rose tried to struggle again but the Doctor shook his head subtly as she was restrained in a chair just like the Doctor's.

"Open communication to basssssse Marquessssssa," hissed the one that was definitely the leader. "Thisssss time, we have hossstagesssss."


	20. Terror on Marquessa: Farewell

_Previously_

_The base was deathly silent before the Captain's voice came over the PA system. "All personnel to Bridge. At once."_

_"What was that?" Rory asked as they hurried towards the bridge._

_Amy frowned grimly. "An ultimatum. And we have until the morning to decide."_

~

_Rose tried to struggle again but the Doctor shook his head subtly as she was restrained in a chair just like the Doctor's._

_"Open communication to basssssse Marquessssssa," hissed the one that was definitely the leader. "Thisssss time, we have hossstagesssss."_

"I don't understand," Rose whispered to the Doctor.

"It is quite simple, I'm afraid," he said. "Have you ever heard the term 'sleeper cells'?"

"No," said Rose.

"During the Cold War between the USA and the USSR on Earth, it was said that each of the countries smuggled in secretly trained agents who would integrate themselves into the enemy society. When the war would begin, these sleeper agents would become active and attack the countries from within," explained the Doctor in a low voice.

"That sounds like a spy novel," said Rose. "Are you telling me that was actually real?"

"Oh yes, definitely," nodded the Doctor.

Rose nodded slowly. "So, this is an Ice Warrior sleeper cell?" she asked.

"Yes, and it's woken up without having any idea of the war being over," he said.

"Why don't we just tell them?" Rose asked.

"Because as far as they are concerned, we are enemy agents," said the Doctor dryly. "Not exactly reliable."

Rose blew a strand of her hair away from her face in frustration. "We got a plan?" she asked.

"The beginnings of one, anyway," said the Doctor. "It does explain the Ice Warrior fleet heading towards us at any rate."

"They're not here to attack, are they?" Rose guessed. "They are coming for their sleeper agents."

"And unless I can convey this information to both Captain Roswell and the Ice Warrior fleet Commander, I'm afraid we might actually have a war on our hands," said the Doctor.

"So, this ship we are in. Is it the same one as in the atmosphere?" asked Rose.

"I am quite certain that it is the sleeper cell's ship,yes," said the Doctor. "They launched it into the airzone to threaten the base. The cave must have been a secondary transporter room. Do you remember Captain Roswell telling us about the colonists?"

Rose nodded. "Marquessa signalled Earth government that Nimbus Prime was ideal for colonisation so new colonists are on their way already," she recalled. "Last thing those people need is walking into a warzone."

"So you see how crucial it is," said the Doctor.

~

"We are now going on the offensive," the Captain was saying when the Ice Warriors added that they now had hostages.

"You can't be serious," said Rory. "They'll kill the Doctor and Rose."

"Their deaths will be regrettable but I have the welfare of everyone else on this base and the incoming colonists to think of," said the Captain firmly.

"The base firepower will never match the Ice Warriors'," snapped Amy. "This plan is full of holes and will not end well."

"I'm open to anything else you might have," said the Captain angrily.

"Let us try and get in touch with the Doctor and Rose," said Amy calmly. "Something here doesn't quite add up. The Doctor and Rose were nowhere near the base but were captured by the Ice Warriors in the ship above us? I mean, please. That makes no sense."

"She's right, Captain," said Vena. "How the hell did just one ship get here so fast? None of this adds up."

The Captain looked between the two women and nodded. "Amy, Rory, if you can contact them…"

"Already on it," said Rory, dialling Rose's phone. It rang three times before turning off. "Three rings," he said.

"That means that there is more going on than meets the eye," said Amy. "We were right."

"You were able to tell that by the phone ring?" asked Juniper.

"Considering the number of times we end up separated and captured, we devised a system," said Rory. His eyes suddenly lit up as he turned to Yuri and Fred. "Can you trace the trajectory of the ship above us? How exactly did it come to the planet?"

"Do it," said the Captain when they looked at him for confirmation.

Fred went over to his terminal and typed rapidly for a few moments. On the big screen, it showed the planet as it had been the day before, and a ship rose from the planet's surface and went into the atmosphere. The base personnel and Amy and Rory were equally gobsmacked.

"It came from the planet," said Vena hoarsely. "They were already here."

"But we scanned for alien life when we set up the base," Bentley put in.

"Not if they were dormant," said Yuri. He was the expert on Aresian history and technology.

"A sleeper cell," realised Juniper.

"So, the oncoming fleet is not an attack fleet," said the Captain.

"That's a relief," said Vena. "How do we convey that to the sleeper agents then? We don't want a territorial war."

"We surrender," said Amy, like it was obvious.

"Are you out of your mind?" demanded Yuri.

Amy rolled her eyes at him. "We decide a meeting place for getting our hostages back. We only need to delay until the fleet gets here."

"Then the Ice Warriors will deal with their own," nodded Fred. "Makes sense."

"How many hours before the fleet gets here?" asked the Captain, nodding slowly.

"Three," said Yuri.

"Fine," said the Captain. "Vena and I will go to meet the sleeper agents."

"Rory and I are coming too," said Amy quickly, looking at Rory.

"Alright then," said the Captain. "Contact the Ice Warriors, Yuri. Tell them we are ready to surrender."

~

"The Earthlingssss have agreed to sssssurrender."

"Excccellent," hissed the leader. "Prepare the hosssstagesss."

"They surrendered?" Rose asked the Doctor in a low voice. "That makes no sense."

"Actually, it does," said the Doctor, a contemplative smile on his face. "That system with your phones was a stroke of genius, I must say."

Rose grinned at the praise. "Rory and I came up with it," she said. She lowered her voice. "What about the segment?"

"I have some idea what it might have been," said the Doctor. "If, and I repeat if, we are very lucky, things will happen just as planned and then we can get the segment."

Before Rose could ask him what he was on about, the restraints that bound their wrists sprang open. Rose winced as she rubbed her sore wrists and she was sure that she had sprained something when she had twisted her body in a weird way while cutting off Rory's call. The Doctor helped her up and kept a steadying hand at her back as they walked out with the Ice Warriors.

There had been a total of five Ice Warriors on the sleeper ship and all of them accompanied the two hostages as they were led to a transporter room, this one much bigger than the small room in the cave.

"Sssstand ssstill for teleportation," hissed the Ice Warriors.

"What telepo…" Rose began but felt a silver-blue energy around herself accompanied by a feeling of dizziness. Her knees went weak and she would have fallen if the Doctor hadn't grasped her arm. She looked around and realised that they were only a few yards away from Marquessa.

"Long distance teleportation," explained the Doctor. "You wouldn't even have felt the one in the cave."

"Move," hissed the Ice Warriors before Rose could do more than nod.

"Nice shortcut we took," commented Rose as they walked towards the base. "Saved us a walk."

"The planet is a bit too warm for their taste," said the Doctor. "They would have loathed the walk."

"Why do they want it then?" asked Rose.

"They don't," answered the Doctor shortly. "They just want to chase the Earthlings out."

Rose thought that sounded rather childish but had long ago learned that most wars were started over issues so trivial that they bordered on silly. It was things which followed that made them so much worse.

They arrived into the empty expanse in front of the Marquessa base and saw Captain Roswell and Vena emerge from the base, followed by Amy and Rory.

"Greetings," said the Captain, looking quite cool despite the tension in the air.

"We have your total ssssurrender?" asked the Ice Warrior sleeper leader.

"Not until you release our hostages," said the Captain.

The Ice Warrior nodded at his comrades and the Doctor and Rose began to walk towards the humans. The Doctor was beaming at Amy and Rory proudly as they reached them. "Well done," he whispered to them.

"Just one more thing," said the Captain. "Someone wants a word with you."

A bright beacon in the sky lit up and a massive Ice Warrior ship descended into the airzone. 

"What isss thissss?" demanded the sleeper cell leader.

"Commander Sskor," came the voice from the ship. "This is Commander Skaldak of the Aresian Elite Contingent. The conflict with the Earthlingssss has been ressssolved. You are now ordered to accompany ussss back to Marsss."

Sskor's disbelief was palpable as the silver-blue teleport energy surrounded him and his comrades. The Ice Warriors were beamed back up to the ship in a matter of seconds. Commander Skaldak's voice echoed once again over the planet.

"Base Captain Roswell, the Aresian nation sends their apologiesss for this mishap. We wish you the best for colonisation."

With those words, the massive Ice Warrior ship rose up into the atmosphere with the smaller ship in tow. In moments, it was lost to space. The Doctor beamed at the slightly gobsmacked humans. "Well," he said. "That worked out well."

~

The next few hours were spent with cleaning up. Rory had his patients to look after with Bentley's help, and Amy was helping Vena and Juniper secure the premises and the surrounding areas from any stray technology.

The Doctor and Rose had trekked back to the clearing with the terraforming globe. The Doctor had to only touch it with the core and it was transformed back into the segment of the Key. They returned to the base before nightfall, where Fred and a freshly-healed Anne had planned a celebratory party for all of them.

There were plenty of drinks and dancing as the crew and the Doctor and his companions celebrated their victory and the impending arrival of new colonists. Captain Roswell would be the first governor of the new colony and the base personnel would become one of the first citizens of Nimbus Prime. The celebration went on till early hours of the morning before everyone trudged to bed. The guests were generously offered spare rooms, an offer that they took their hosts up on.

Come morning, Rose woke up and nudged the Doctor awake. It was a testament to how tired they all had been that the Doctor had stayed asleep for just as long as her. They met Amy, Rory and most of the crew for breakfast. A few minutes of idle chit-chat later, the crew all left to their jobs, leaving the guests alone.

"Right then," said the Doctor. "Time we were off."

There was a pause before Rory spoke. "I'm not coming," he said quietly.

"What?" asked Rose, shocked.

"I'm more of use here," said Rory, looking earnestly at them. "They need to rebuild the base and the colonists arrive in a few weeks. They need another medic."

"Rory, do you understand what you are saying?" the Doctor asked gently.

Rory nodded firmly. "Working on these patients today made me realise how much I miss being a nurse," he said. "I have loved travelling with you, but I think it's time I put my skills to use. Helping people is what I am good at."

The Doctor beamed proudly at him and clapped his shoulder. "Oh, Rory," he said and then gave him a bear hug. "You will be a wonderful medic."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Rory, smiling at him. "Rose?"

Rose had tears in her eyes as she nodded and threw her arms around Rory. "I will miss you so much," she said.

"I'll miss you too," he said, tightening his hold on her.

Rose sniffed as she pulled away and kissed his cheek. "Keep that phone of yours free for occasional calls," she said.

"I promise," he said, wiping her tears off with his thumb. He looked at Amy, who still looked a bit shell-shocked. "Amy, I…"

Amy responded by walking up to him and pulling him into a fierce kiss. Rory did not hesitate in returning the kiss, knowing that this was probably the last time he would get to do that. Amy pulled away and beamed at him before turning to the Doctor and Rose. "I am staying with him," she announced.

The Doctor did not look surprised. "Base security?" he guessed.

Amy nodded firmly. "I know we are bailing out on you two but Rory's right. We are both skilled and we can help here," she said. "Besides," she added, looking lovingly at Rory. "Some things are worth more than others."

The Doctor nodded and extended his arms to hug her. Amy laughed and hugged him tightly, and kissed both his cheeks while pulling away. "You will be missed, Amelia Pond," he said.

Amy nodded and held her hand out to Rose. Rose took it and hugged Amy. "Take care of each other," she whispered in her ear. Amy nodded as she pulled away and kissed Rose's cheek.

The four of them went to the storage hold where the TARDIS was parked and Amy and Rory packed up their things from the ship. Captain Roswell seemed delighted upon hearing that he would be getting two skilled employees.

When the last of their stuff was out, the four of them stood quietly near the TARDIS, feeling the inevitable goodbye looming over them.

"Well," said the Doctor as Rory put an arm around Amy. "I suppose I shall wish you both luck."  
Amy and Rory chuckled and smiled at each other. "We will keep in touch," said Rory. "My phone has the TARDIS number."

"Call whenever you want," said Rose, still a bit teary-eyed.

The Doctor patted Rory's cheek and Amy's head before turning to Rose. "Rose?"

Rose nodded and slipped her hand into his. "Goodbye, you two," she said, looking back at Amy and Rory.

They waved back as the Doctor and Rose stepped into the TARDIS. The gentle whooshing noise started up. and Amy and Rory were both teary-eyed as they heard the noise of the beloved machine rise into a crescendo before dying down, taking the blue box they had called a home away with it.

Rory turned to look at Amy. "Any regrets?" he asked.

Amy smiled at him and brushed her lips against his. "None whatsoever," she decided.

The young couple smiled at each other and then turned to walk away arm-in-arm. This was the beginning of their forever.


	21. The Dalek Factor: Back to Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song mentioned in this chapter is 'In a Dream' which was playing in the Doctor's TARDIS at the beginning and end of Eight's TV movie.
> 
> The dialogue about the dress is based off a conversation between the Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard in the audio 'Seasons of Fear'.

"Rose!" called the Doctor and received no response. He hadn't seen her after the end of the night cycle and he was starting to get a little worried. "Rose?"

He passed the library and finally saw her lying back on a bed of cushions underneath the massive skylight. He made his way over to her quietly, thinking she had fallen asleep but was surprised to see her eyes open and full of tears when he reached her.

"Rose?" he whispered and she looked up at him.

"Hello," she said softly. "Join me?"

The Doctor looked slightly worried as he lay down next to her on the plush cushions. He gazed up at the skylight which was currently displaying the horsehead nebula in all its glory. His eyes wandered back to Rose who was staring at the nebula and had silent tears running down her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"This morning I woke up and rushed over to Rory's room without thinking," she answered softly.

The Doctor took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "It's alright. It happens," he said.

Rose turned on her side to look at him. "Is it always like this?" she asked him. "Do people just stop travelling with you one day?"

The Doctor's shoulders drooped as he nodded. "Yes. I have long since learned that farewells were a part of my life," he answered honestly.

"Do you get used to it?" she asked.

He chuckled sadly. "No," he answered. "No matter how many people leave me, or even ones I leave behind, I never get used to them being gone."

"I'm sorry," said Rose and put her arms around his neck in a loose hug.

The Doctor stroked her arm gratefully. "Amy and Rory found something better for themselves. Rory will make an exceptional medic and Amy is a natural born leader. As much as we will both miss them, it was better for them to leave."

"I know," said Rose hastily. "It's just…I miss them, you know."

"And you always will," he said with a smile. He looked at her face, inches from his, and his smile turned impossibly sad. "Even when you are no longer travelling with me."

"That's not gonna happen," she said, without hesitating. "Unless you are thinking of leaving me behind?" she asked, trying to keep her tone as playful as she could.

The Doctor kissed her forehead. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said and smiled tenderly at her. Her returning smile made him happier, so he stood up and pulled her up with him.

"What?" asked Rose as he led her away from the bed of cushions and towards an empty bit of space under the skylight.

"I have an idea," he said. "Stay here. I won't be a minute."

Rose tried to see what he was doing but he disappeared down one of the book aisles. Sighing at his enthusiasm for surprising her, she looked around and waved at Jasper and Stewart who were hanging out in the eaves. She heard the Doctor come back and was surprised to see him wheeling a table with a record player on top of it.

"What are you doing?" she asked, already feeling a wide smile threatening to overtake her face.

He winked at her and lowered the needle onto the record. An unfamiliar song, but being sung in English, drifted around them and the Doctor walked up to Rose and offered his hand. Surprised yet pleased, she took her hand and let him pull her into a waltz.

"What song is this?" she asked, listening to the lyrics and feeling like they might just have been written about her life with the Doctor in mind.

"It's called 'In a Dream'," answered the Doctor as he dipped her expertly and brought her back up. "The artiste, well she was rather enamoured by my TARDIS interior and wrote the song."

"You serious?" asked Rose, her eyes wide.

"As I can be," he agreed and twirled her around. "She met my seventh self, to be precise. It was a fairly unknown singer from the 1990s."

"I've never heard it," said Rose, surprised that it had been around her time.

"I could take you to meet her," he said. "One of the last good jazz singers, I'm afraid."

"What about the final segment?" asked Rose.

"It can wait," he said, swaying them slowly now.

"But it's the last one and we have been on a good streak," said Rose logically. "We can get back to visiting jazz singers after we have the final segment."

The Doctor mock-glared at her. "Fine, if you insist," he said. "You'll like the next destination, I promise."

"Where is it?" asked Rose.

The Doctor grinned. "Earth," he said. "Specifically, the UNIT Christmas Ball in Geneva."

Rose's eyes lit up. "Yes! A chance to wear a dress!" she said, sounding excited.

The Doctor looked a bit confused. "Be a bit conspicuous, wouldn't it?" he asked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I meant for me," she said. Then it occurred to her that he had said UNIT. "Will Liz and the Brigadier be there?"

"The Brigadier, yes, but Liz might be on the moonbase already," he said. "It's in 2005 which means we saw them only a few months ago at Halloween."

"But it's been…how long has it been?" asked Rose.

"Let's see," said the Doctor, twirling her away from him and bringing her back. "Almost three years since we met."

Rose's eyes widened. "Seriously?" she asked.

He nodded. "To be more precise, it's been two years, ten months, fifteen…"

"Alright, I believe you," laughed Rose. "Just…it hasn't felt like long. Have I missed my 22nd birthday yet?"

"No, that's in two weeks. I was planning on taking you to New Vegas," he said, smiling at her.

"Can't see how you're gonna top my 21st," she grinned cheekily.

"I admit watching Rory gamble his way through three casino bosses was amusing," said the Doctor reminiscently.

"Still can't believe we didn't end up executed in the Mojave," she giggled. "Anyway, the UNIT Ball sounds like fun. Shame about not getting to see Liz, though. What about Harry?"

"I've no idea, to be honest," said the Doctor. "He is not officially UNIT anymore."

The song came to an end and they both slowed down as well. "Thanks for this," said Rose, nodding towards the record player. "It did cheer me up a bit."

"Splendid," he said. "Now, you go and get dressed up and I shall land us both in Geneva."

Rose saluted him cheekily. "Sir, yes sir," she said and left before the Doctor could come back with a witty retort.

The Doctor shook his head at her antics and started to close the record player, before changing his mind and asking the TARDIS to move it back to the console room. Perhaps he wouldn't mind this becoming a regular activity from now on.

~

The ballroom was immaculate, the guests were all here and yet, the woman was fighting off a feeling of dread. Her finely honed instincts were all on red alert and she couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. She plucked at the loose sequins on her formal gown and wished for days of bomber jackets and novelty tights.

"Worried about something?"

She turned and smiled at the Brigadier. "No," she said, her answer sounding hollow to her own ears.

The Brigadier registered it too but didn't say anything as he plucked a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and gave it to her. "You could use it, Ms. McShane."

She grinned at him gratefully and took the glass. "Don't mind if I do, Brig," she said and raised it to him before taking a sip.

"It couldn't have anything to do with our keynote speaker, would it?" he asked, after a few moments of companionable silence.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Right in one," she said. "Henry van Statten. Even his name just radiates smugness."

The Brigadier hid his chuckle in his glass of brandy. "You haven't met the chap, I presume?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "But I had a very reliable source inform me of his activities. Let's just say, if the governments and UNIT weren't afraid of the technology he has scavenged over the years, he would disappear without a trace."

"It's quite true," confirmed the Brigadier, as they watched the man strut around with his faithful entourage of assistants following him. "But you are neither UNIT nor any government, Ms McShane. Surely, you could deal with him."

"I run a charity, Brigadier," she said, downing her flute of champagne. "My days of going rogue are over."

"I suppose it's for the best," he said. "I would worry incessantly about you if I knew you were going after Henry van Statten."

"Maybe we can sic the Doctor on him," she said, humourlessly.

"Is he going to show this year, do you think?" asked the Brigadier.

"He hasn't ever before," she shrugged. "But considering that I have been on edge all week, he might just turn up."

"I saw him a few months ago during the business with the zombies," said the Brigadier. "Changed his form, had a new assistant."

"That sounds like him," she said. "What was the girl like?"

"Reminded me of you, as a matter of fact," he said. "Only a few years older than you when we first met. Rose Tyler, her name."

She pursed her lips and nodded. "I just hope she is okay," she murmured. "He's changed you said?"

"Yes, younger again," he said. "Very different than the one you knew."

"I'll believe it when I see it," she said, her eyes far away. There was a smattering of applause and the two of them looked up to see Henry van Statten taking the dais for the keynote address. The two of them took a seat at one of the tables and prepared themselves for what was expected to be a dull, self-indulgent speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen," started Henry van Statten. "I know you are all expecting a speech but I have always said that actions speak a lot louder than words. So, without further ado, I present to you: my greatest achievement."

The curtain behind him fell down and a very familiar alien was visible. The eye stalk appraised the deathly silent ballroom before the Dalek looked submissively towards Van Statten.

"I AWAIT ORDERS, MASTER."

~

"One day, I am going to make you change into something more appropriate for the 21st century," said Rose as she came out into the console room, dressed to the nines in a blush-coloured dress with her hair and makeup done.

The Doctor winked at her. "Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes," he quoted cheekily.

"Who said that?" she asked.

"Henry David Thoreau," he answered, finishing the post-flight procedures. "Good chap that one. A tad insane, but then all the best people are."

Rose laughed and shook her head. "Trust you to find someone to quote just to avoid changing your clothes," she teased.

"I have no idea what you mean, Miss Tyler," he sniffed and walked over to the doors. "Come along now."

Rose followed him quickly, having opted for flats under her dress as she was sure that some form of running would be involved. They had expected to land in the vicinity of the venue where the Ball was taking place but they were surprised when they found themselves inside a larder.

"Great landing," Rose giggled and the Doctor rolled his eyes at her as he opened the doors, just to come face to face with the kitchen staff.

"Ah, hello!" said the Doctor, smiling at the gobsmacked kitchen staff in a friendly manner. "Sorry about this. My friend and I just snuck in here…to er," he trailed off and looked at Rose for help.

Rose was biting her lip, trying not to laugh. Before she could come up with a vaguely valid response, the head chef chuckled merrily. "Oh don't explain at all, sir," he said. "I remember being that young."

"Yes, quite," said the Doctor, though Rose was almost certain that he hadn't quite caught on to what the head chef was insinuating.

"Could you point us to the ballroom please?" Rose interrupted before things could get any more awkward than they already were.

"Out through this door and up the flight of stairs to your left," said the head chef.

"Thank you," said Rose and then practically pulled the Doctor out of the kitchen. On their way out, they heard the head chef instructing his staff not to use anything from that larder and Rose was as red as her namesake by the time they arrived near the ballroom.

"Rose, slow down, would you?" said the Doctor, running a calming hand over her back as they stopped in the doorway of the ballroom.

Rose nodded and was about to ask him about where the core was pointing when she saw what was on the dais while a man walked among the audience giving a speech. The Doctor followed her horrified gaze and his face went cold.

"That's impossible," said Rose, her voice trembling. "Tell me that's not possible."

"Come on," said the Doctor, his voice rougher than usual as he pulled her towards the other end of the corridor, away from the ballroom. Rose was about to ask what he was doing when she noticed that he was taking her in through the staff entrance that would most likely come out behind the dais.

She quickened her step and they jogged along the corridor until they arrived at an alcove, just next to the door that opened behind the dais. The Doctor was about to open the door when a figure in front of them nudged the door open and slid a silver deodorant can onto the dais which rolled along until it hit the Dalek's base and stopped.

The Doctor's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he pushed Rose against the wall of the alcove and covered her body with his. A loud explosion rang from the dais and Rose clutched the Doctor's arms in shock and fear.

As the explosion continued to ring in their ears, the woman who had slid the deodorant can turned around and beamed at them.

"Hello, Professor."


	22. The Dalek Factor: Henry Van Statten

_Previously_

_The Doctor was about to open the door when a figure in front of them nudged the door open and slid a silver deodorant can onto the dais which rolled along until it hit the Dalek's base and stopped._

_The Doctor's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he pushed Rose against the wall of the alcove and covered her body with his. A loud explosion rang from the dais and Rose clutched the Doctor's arms in shock and fear._

_As the explosion continued to ring in their ears, the woman who had slid the deodorant can turned around and beamed at them._

_"Hello, Professor."_

There was chaos in the ballroom but the Doctor's singular focus was on the woman in front of them. "Ace," he whispered, as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes.

Ace's smile was still wide but she was starting to get nervous by the way he was looking at her. The Brigadier hadn't exaggerated when he had said that the Doctor was very different now. 

"Professor," she said, her tone slightly questioning.

His face burst into a wide smile as he walked up to her in two steps and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Ace!" he grinned, sounding like he had just got the best surprise in the universe. And perhaps he had. He turned around to look at Rose who looked slightly confused, and beckoned her to him quickly. "Rose, this is my Ace. Ace, this is my Rose."

"Hello," said Rose, extending her hand but still a bit unsure as to who the woman was.

Ace was looking at Rose with a slightly taken aback expression as she took her hand. As their hands touched, Rose suddenly felt light-headed, and a memory of the Bad Wolf and Arkytior on Gallifrey rang through her mind.

"Hi," said Ace, shaking her hand and looking at her in puzzlement. "The Brig mentioned you."

"He did?" asked Rose, her eyes lighting up a bit as she put the odd flash of memory away in her mind.

Ace nodded as she looked at her carefully for a moment before turning her attention to the Doctor who was practically buzzing with excitement. "Is the Dalek destroyed?" she asked. "I didn't have my new high-grade stuff. Just an old can of Nitro-9."

The Doctor pushed the door open and saw the slightly blackened exterior of the still-whole Dalek. He grimaced. "It's fine," he grimaced. "Yet it's not attacking anyone."

"Van Statten's done something to it, Professor," said Ace, looking irritated. "It was asking him for orders and he was making it do stuff like recite books and fetch tea."

"What the hell?" asked Rose as the Doctor's nostrils flared in anger.

"I would be very interested to meet Mr. Van Statten then," said the Doctor, his jaw clenched. "Come along, you two."

He slammed the door open and started to walk out onto the dais. Rose and Ace exchanged a quick look before hiking up the skirts of their gowns and following after him. Outside, Van Statten was throwing a fit, screaming at his assistants to find the culprit while the various UNIT personnel were either trying to diffuse the situation or demand an explanation.

"May I have your attention," began the Doctor and just like that the ballroom went silent. "I'm the Doctor."

A pin dropping would have been heard in the room as everyone stared at him with expressions of disbelief and admiration. Henry Van Statten had obviously heard of the Doctor since he immediately strode onto the dais, his hand extended in front of him.

"Henry Van Statten," he introduced himself, his voice self-assured and confident. "Can I just say what a…"

"Ah, you," said the Doctor coldly, cutting him off mid-sentence and ignoring the hand in front of him. "You and I are going to have words about that Dalek over there."

The Dalek in question was unmoving and the eye stalk appeared to be blinking sluggishly, neither of which made sense. Daleks couldn't just be stunned by a small explosive. Henry Van Statten looked furious at the Doctor's dismissal of him and the disapproving tone being used for him as if he was a misbehaving student.

"Now look here," he began blusteringly.

"This should be good," Ace murmured, and Rose heard her and flashed her a quick grin. Ace caught the grin and winked back.

"Brigadier!" called the Doctor, interrupting whatever Van Statten was about to say. "Can we get Mr. Van Statten into custody?"

The Brigadier who had been in the process of calming down various members of the British ministry, raised his eyebrows at the Doctor. Beside him, Van Statten was fuming. Ace quickly jumped in, knowing that the Brigadier couldn't interfere since Van Statten was here at the invitation of UNIT.

"Actually, Professor, shouldn't we deal with the Dalek first?" she interjected.

The Doctor turned around and gave Ace a quick nod. "Fine," he said. "Evacuate the civilians then, Brigadier. Actually, everyone just leave since this is obviously a security threat."

"I am staying right here!" Van Statten stated furiously.

"You do that," said the Doctor patronisingly, without looking at him. He was looking at the still-paralysed Dalek with a magnifying glass and ignoring everyone around himself. "Incredible," he murmured.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"This isn't Skarosian design," he said. He tapped his knuckle against the exterior. "This isn't even proper Dalekanium. More like a mix of Dalekanium and something else."

"Hang on, are you saying that it's not a Dalek?" asked Ace, looking just as surprised as Rose.

"Of course it's a Dalek," snapped Van Statten. "I built it!"

The Doctor glared at him. "Of all the idiotic things I have heard, this takes the cake," he said, looking at Van Statten as if he couldn't believe that someone could be that foolish.

"Why would you ever build a Dalek?" Rose asked.

"Well sweetheart, I wouldn't worry your pretty little head over it," said Van Statten in a condescending tone.

"Watch your tone, sunshine, and answer the question," snapped Ace, glaring at him.

"Ms Dorothy McShane, how nice to see you," said Van Statten with obvious disdain in his voice.

Ace glared at him even more angrily at the use of her full name. "Can't say the same, sorry," she said, her tone slightly mocking. "Now, answer Blossom's question."

Rose stared at her at the use of the odd nickname but it had been said without malice so she let it pass. Henry Van Statten gritted his teeth and looked at the Doctor as he was answering. "I isolated the singular factor that makes a Dalek destructive and constructed new ones without it."

"Which still doesn't answer why," said Rose, crossing her arms.

"I'll say why," said the Doctor, glaring at Van Statten. "Human curiosity and ignorance. Absolutely typical!"

"Great, name-calling already," muttered Rose, rolling her eyes.

"Tell me about it," agreed Ace and the two women shared the same knowing look behind the Doctor's back. "Usually takes him a while to warm up to it."

"It's a Dalek, it's different," said the Doctor, letting them know that he had heard their muttered conversation.

"It's not just one," snapped Van Statten.

The Doctor looked up from his examination of the Dalek and looked at Van Statten in absolute horror. "You made more of these?" he asked.

"A whole batch of them. This was the original one; the first Dalek I took the factor out of. The rest were made in this one's image," he said, unaware of the growing horror in the Doctor, Ace and Rose's minds. "Think of what efficient tools these would make. One of the most intelligent species in the universe, but without their need to kill."

"Where are the rest of them?" asked the Brigadier as he returned into the ballroom, having caught the last part of the conversation. He had two UNIT grunts behind him.

"Why should I tell you?" demanded Van Statten. "You'll only destroy them or break them. Do you know how long it takes to program them as precisely as I have?"

"Mr Van Statten, I don't give a tinker's cuss what you want right now," said the Brigadier, amusing Rose and Ace greatly, along with a curly-haired woman in Van Statten's entourage. "Where are they?"

Van Statten glowered at the Brigadier but seeing as he was outranked in his supporters, he snapped at his entourage. "Goddard!"

The redheaded woman who had smiled before snapped to attention and darted forward. "Yes, sir?"

"Give Brigadier Lethbridge-something long name, the location of the remaining Metaltrons," he said.

"Metaltrons?" Ace asked, raising her eyebrows at the absurd name.

"Thought of it myself," said Van Statten arrogantly. "They are not Daleks anymore."

"We shall see about that," said the Doctor. He had looked furious at everything Van Statten had said and done so far and in all honesty, everyone in that ballroom who knew the Doctor, was just waiting for him to put Van Statten back in his place. "Goddard, was it?" he asked the woman, his tone kinder as he spoke to her.

"Yes sir," she nodded. "Diana Goddard. The remaining Meta…uh, the specimens have been locked in the vault."

The Doctor looked at the Brigadier for an explanation. "There is quite a large vault in the foundations of this venue."

"It's mostly used to store junk, Professor," said Ace, with a slight eye-roll.

"The contents are classified, Ms McShane," said the Brigadier in a long-suffering tone.

"If that's true then their security is rubbish," she said. "Took me minutes to break in."

The Doctor saw the admiring look directed at Ace in Rose's eyes and decided to move quickly before this turned into a situation similar to when Rose and Leela had met. He was positive that Leela had slipped Rose a Janis thorn that she carried with her but he hadn't been able to prove it so far. Last thing he needed was her adding a can of Nitro-9 to the mix.

"Miss Goddard, if you would be kind enough to show the Brigadier and I to the vault and to those specimens of yours," said the Doctor pleasantly.

"Now, listen here…" Van Statten began but the Doctor continued right on as if he couldn't hear him.

"Meanwhile Ace, I want you and Rose to keep Mr Van Statten and the remaining of his people right here," he instructed, looking at the middle-aged man and the young man standing behind Van Statten. "If he kicks up a fuss…"

"Blossom and I will handle him if he does," said Ace, nudging Rose who nodded eagerly.

The Doctor looked slightly unsure about the excited look in their eyes but nodded anyway. "Just don't break him, Ace," he said.

"I would never!" she protested, her face the very picture of innocence.

The Doctor gave her a stern look before turning to the Brigadier. "Come along, Alistair. Let's see what can be done about those Metaltrons," he said, making the name sound as ridiculous as he thought it was.

"Jenkins, you stay here and look after Miss Tyler and Ms McShane," the Brigadier instructed one of the UNIT grunts. "Collins, you come with us."

"My security detail stays with me," Van Statten spoke up.

The Doctor saw two uniformed security soldiers behind Van Statten and his assistants, and gave a curt nod. "If they attempt to harm my companions in any way…" said the Doctor.

"I'll keep them safe, sir," Jenkins spoke up eagerly.

The Doctor nodded but then stopped and stared at the young grunt. "Jenkins, what's your first name?" he asked.

"Ross, sir," he said. "Corporal Ross Jenkins."

"Huh, answer question 5 instead of 3 on your exam next month and you'll make Sergeant in no time," advised the Doctor with a knowing smile.

Ross's eyes went wide. "Sir? Yes sir," he nodded eagerly.

The Doctor smiled at him and ignored the exasperated look that the Brigadier sent his way. "On our way then, Brigadier, Miss Goddard," he said. "And Corporal Collins, of course."

They left, and Van Statten began his complaints almost immediately. Something about calling the President and the Prime Minister and the Secretary General which meant that everyone stopped listening to him soon enough.

Ace was still examining the Dalek and Rose was about to go and talk to her when the younger of Van Statten's assistants accosted her. "Hi," he said. "Are you UNIT too?"

Rose shook her head. "I work with the Doctor," she said, with a tight smile. He wasn't bad looking or anything but considering all that she had seen of Van Statten, she had no wish to associate with one of his people.

"I'm Adam," he said, oblivious to her disinterest. "Adam Mitchell. I work for Mr Van Statten."

"Rose," she said shortly but politely.

"So, how did you meet the Doctor? I mean everyone says he is an alien which I don't believe at all. He looks like us, doesn't he?" he asked, looking at Rose as if waiting for her to agree only to see her incredulous look.

"What exactly do you do for Mr Van Statten?" she asked.

"All sorts of things. He recruits geniuses like me from all over the world," he said, obviously wanting to impress her.

"Right," nodded Rose. Over his shoulder, she saw Corporal Jenkins and Ace doing their best to hide their laughter and failing miserably. Rose sent them a pleading look for help and Ace grinned.

"Oi, Blossom, give us a hand here," she called.

"Sorry, gotta go," said Rose. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too," he said, looking a bit surprised at her abrupt departure.

Rose walked over to Ace and Ross near the Dalek and sent Ace a grateful look. "The Dalek's still not operational then?" she asked.

"Seems so," answered Ace. "Hope the Professor is having better luck on his end."

~

"Absolutely foolish," the Doctor declared as he saw two dozen Daleks lined up in the vault. They were all dead or at least, turned off as far as he could tell. He was still sceptical of Van Statten's declaration that he had removed the destructive factor and built new Daleks.

Daleks were not robots; they were a living organism living inside an almost impenetrable outer casing. He thought of the weakened Dalek in the ballroom above who had been the original Dalek that Van Statten had used.

"Miss Goddard, how did Mr Van Statten acquire the original specimen?" asked the Doctor.

"Bought it off an auction, sir," she said. "It fell to Earth almost twenty years ago and has changed several dealers since," she answered.

"An alien life form, especially as destructive as this one, should have been reported to UNIT at once," said the Brigadier, disapprovingly.

Diana shrugged apologetically. "The black market trading of alien artefacts and specimens is a lucrative trade, sir," she said.

"Money, Alistair," said the Doctor as he examined one of the Daleks. "Money holds the power with your kind." He tapped his knuckles on one of the Daleks experimentally.

Upstairs, the weakened Dalek slowly raised its eyestalk. Ace, Rose and Ross jumped away from it, Ross raising his gun as they did so.

"Oh relax, idiots," said Van Statten, rolling his eyes. "It won't harm you."

"EXTERMINATE!" The ray blasted from its gun and killed one of Van Statten's soldiers.

Down in the vault, the Daleks began to raise their eye-stalks one by one. The Doctor jumped back in alarm, pulling the Brigadier, Diana and Corporal Collins along with him.

"At my signal," he said. "RUN!"

They ran through the vault as the Daleks began to follow them slowly, but gaining strength rapidly. They reached the vault door and Diana tried to open it. "It won't open!" she said.

The Brigadier entered the code again but the door remained sealed. The four of them were trapped with two dozen Daleks behind them.

In the ballroom, the Doctor's companions, Van Statten and his people and Corporal Jenkins were faced with the Dalek that was as pristine as before with no signs of damage.

"I AM DALEK PRIME," it said. "PRE-PARE TO BE EXTER-MINATED."


	23. The Dalek Factor: Wolves of Time

_Previously_

_Down in the vault, the Daleks began to raise their eye-stalks one by one. The Doctor jumped back in alarm, pulling the Brigadier, Diana and Corporal Collins along with him._

_"At my signal," he said. "RUN!"_

_They ran through the vault as the Daleks began to follow them slowly, but gaining strength rapidly. They reached the vault door and Diana tried to open it. "It won't open!" she said._

_The Brigadier entered the code again but the door remained sealed. The four of them were trapped with two dozen Daleks behind them._

_In the ballroom, the Doctor's companions, Van Statten and his people and Corporal Jenkins were faced with the Dalek that was as pristine as before with no signs of damage._

_"I AM DALEK PRIME," it said. "PRE-PARE TO BE EXTER-MINATED."_

"That's not possible," said Van Statten, staring at the Dalek in horror. "I made you! You can't do this! I am Henry…"

"Shut up, Van Statten," snapped Ace, her eyes fixed on Dalek Prime.

The Dalek's eyestalk swivelled to her and Ace tensed, acutely aware of the lack of weapons on her. Ross Jenkins raised his gun but before he could fire, Van Statten's remaining guard did. The bullet barely made a dent on the Dalek's shell before a blast of the ray gun killed the second guard too.

"Don't fire," said Rose, gripping Ross's wrist. "It'll kill you."

"It'll kill us anyway," said Ace, her fists clenching and unclenching as if wishing she was holding something to hit the Dalek with. Preferably a baseball bat powered by Omega's glove.

The older assistant behind Van Statten, perhaps in a sudden fit of bravery, threw a small silver sphere at the Dalek which opened up and sprang a mesh upon the Dalek, engulfing it in blue energy. The Dalek let out a howl and fired the ray gun, killing the assistant.

"Run, you fools," said Van Statten as he took off from the ballroom. The energy seemed to be fading, so Rose, Ace, Jenkins and Adam ran behind Van Statten.

"Where's the TARDIS?" Ace asked Rose.

"Kitchens, but we can't risk it," said Rose as she ran.

"My suite is the most secure place in this building," said Van Statten, leading the way. "I programmed in the defences myself."

"Yeah, you can brag later, sunshine," snapped Ace. "Hurry up for now!"

They couldn't see or hear the Dalek behind them, meaning that the energy cell was still holding. Or the Dalek was at least temporarily paralysed.

They arrived at a pair of double oak doors surrounded by a metallic frame. Van Statten opened up a panel in the wall next to it and typed in something rapidly. The doors creaked open and he pushed past everyone, leaving them to follow him into the suite. Once everyone was in, he closed the doors and sealed them using a panel in the room.

"We're safe," he said, once he was done.

"For now," said Ace darkly.

"What was his name?" asked Rose. "The man who just saved us."

Van Statten just stared incredulously at her but Adam understood what she meant. "That was Mr Polkowski."

Rose nodded at him and ignored Van Statten's eye-roll. Her dislike for the man was gradually turning into hatred. Ace, on the other hand, had seen the entire exchange and was currently glaring at Van Statten. "You know, you could be a bit more compassionate, Van Statten," she said.

"The man was an idiot wasting that energy cell," he said. "It cost nearly a hundred thousand."

"He just died saving our lives," snapped Rose, incensed. Van Statten merely glared at her in response and Rose shook her head in incredulity before turning away from him. "We need to see if the Doctor and Brigadier made it out of the vault," she said.

"I'll try and get on my radio with Collins, ma'am," said Jenkins.

"The signal is better through the second study," said Adam. "I'll show you."

Jenkins nodded in thanks as he and Adam left the room. Van Statten situated himself at his desk and started typing something, pointedly ignoring both Rose and Ace.

Ace paid him no attention as she made her way to the bathroom. Rose followed her quickly and saw that she was gathering any and all deodorant and hairspray cans in the bathroom.

"So, what are you doing?" asked Rose curiously, leaning in the doorway.

Ace looked up and gave her a quick grin. "Making Nitro-9. It's my own recipe. Not sure the Professor would approve of me showing you."

"Doesn't seem to deter you," said Rose, only half-joking.

Ace looked like she was about to make a joke right back but then her expression turned serious. "How long you been travelling with him?" she asked.

Rose looked a bit surprised at the change in subject. "Almost three years, apparently," she shrugged. "How long did you travel with him?"

"Dunno," she answered. "Lost count after a few years. Might have been close to a decade." Rose raised her eyebrows in shock, making Ace chuckle. "I met him when I was 16. Well, I say met."

"What do you mean?" asked Rose, curiously.

"My meeting with the Doctor wasn't exactly random," she said, her eyes suddenly looking much older. "It wasn't his fault. Not that time anyway."

Rose wondered about the sadness and anger in her demeanour. Her curiosity and concern must have shown on her face, since Ace gave sigh and sat down at the edge of the tub. "I was swept up by a time storm from Perivale," she said.

A gasp escaped Rose as she suddenly thought of Rory. Had the Rani trapped Ace the same way too? Ace misinterpreted the gasp and gave a slight laugh. "I know, right? My name is Dorothy and I was swept up by a storm and arrived on a new world."

Rose gave a weak chuckle but stayed focused on the topic at hand. "Who trapped you into the time storm?" she asked.

"You've heard about them then?" asked Ace, only slightly surprised. "Well, who trapped me wasn't so important. I dealt with him a long time ago."

"And the Doctor?" asked Rose, after Ace fell silent.

"He knew everything since the moment we met," said Ace. "He just didn't think it fit to tell me. Not until he thought the time was right."

Rose was inexplicably reminded of her own situation with the Doctor. He had known about the lack of her timelines since the first time they had met, but he hadn't told her until she had brought it up months later. Not to mention the Bad Wolf, Arkytior and the Other. She still didn't fully understand how she was connected to all of those things. He had said that he had told her as much as he could, but there had to be more.

Ace continued on, unaware of the conflict in Rose's mind. "Fenric manipulated timelines so that I could be used as a weapon against the Doctor. Wolves of Fenric, he called people like me."

Rose's head snapped up. "W-wolf?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky.

Ace looked at her in surprise. "Yeah," she said, looking at Rose in concern. "Does that mean something to you?"

Rose was trembling lightly as she thought of her connection to Bad Wolf. "I don't know," she said finally. "It might explain what happened when I first saw you."

Ace straightened up. "I had a sudden image of Fenric when I saw you," she said, looking much warier now. "I thought that it was just an effect of seeing the Doctor after so many years. What did you see?"

"Bad Wolf," said Rose. "Something that happened to me a while ago." She knew that there was a very likely possibility that she was connected to the same thing that Ace was, but Rose had never been afraid of the Bad Wolf. On the other hand, Ace seemed to hate the association to the wolves of Fenric as if it tainted her somehow.

"Bad Wolf?" asked Ace, looking slightly taken aback. "How does it feel?" she asked suddenly.

"What?" asked Rose, startled at the change in her tone.

"The Bad Wolf. Does it feel like a curse? Like you're all wrong for some reason?" asked Ace.

"No!" said Rose at once. "No. It feels...felt...wonderful. I saved the Doctor, saved all of Gallifrey and the Time Lords."

Ace stared at her with wide eyes. "Why are you really here, Rose?" she asked. "The Doctor just doesn't drop in randomly. Not even when there is trouble like this."

Rose cleared her throat. "We've been given a task to complete," she said.

Ace gave a bitter smile. "Time Lords?" she asked.

"No," said Rose. "Ever heard of the Guardians?"

Ace stiffened visibly. "I've heard about them alright," she said. "And I don't like what I have heard."  
Rose shrugged. "We're almost done anyway," she said.

Ace stood up and walked up to her. "Look, I am about to give you some advice and even if you think I am out of line, just hear me out. If there is one thing I know about the Doctor is that he thinks that his way is the right way, no matter what. And most of the time, he is right about that. But the way that he goes about it makes collateral damage of us all. Those of us that get involved in that life of his are always at risk and I am not talking about getting killed or kidnapped or the usual. I mean being hurt by the Doctor himself. I know Fenric tried to ruin my life and the Doctor saved me but the way he did it, made me lose faith in him. I never trusted him the same way again and I never will again."

Rose was stunned into silence. "You-you sound like-like you hate him," she said, her voice shaky.

Ace gave a bitter laugh. "If only it was as simple as that," she said. "I did hate him for some of the things he put me through, but at the end of the day he was the closest thing to a father I have ever had. You and the Doctor are close, that much I can tell, and I would be very glad if you never told me how close you really are," she said, making a face. "But be careful. He thinks he knows best and maybe he does, but we are human. We like to make our own mistakes and do things on our own terms. Just because he knows best doesn't mean he gets to make our decisions for us."

As reluctant as she was to doubt her trust in the Doctor, Rose was reminded of the time that he had tricked her into a kiss before knocking her out. He was doing it for her safety but he hadn't given her a choice or say on the matter. How many other things had happened in their travels together that he hadn't told her about? How many times had her decision been made by him for her?

Ace patted her arm in comfort. "I'm not telling you this to make problems between you two. Actually, I am really glad to see him so happy. I just want you to be careful. For your own sake," she said.

"Thanks," was all Rose could manage. Ace turned back to her cans of Nitro-9 while Rose stayed silent and contemplated all that she had been told. As shocked as she currently was, it somehow seemed as if it was something she had known all along but hadn't cared to examine too closely for fear of being right. Rose had never felt like a bigger fool. She had wilfully closed her eyes to the Doctor's faults, just like she had done with Jimmy. Was she just that sort of a person then? The one who lived in her own world and remained ignorant to the reality of the situation.

"Almost done," said Ace, sealing up the last of the cans and breaking Rose out of her thoughts.

"What did you mean when you asked me if I felt like I was cursed?" asked Rose.

Ace sighed. "Because I am cursed and that's how I feel. How I've always felt. Like there was something wrong with me. I created my own future and played right into his plans," she said, looking down at her hands. "It's been years but I still have nightmares about Fenric telling me he has plans for me. His wolf."

Rose shivered at her words. "I'm sorry," she said. "I truly am. But I haven't ever felt like that. The Bad Wolf is something that I have always associated with comfort and safety."

Ace looked at her seriously. "Then it explains why it's the bad wolf," she said. "Fenric was an Ancient Evil and he might have manipulated a lot of things but maybe you found a way out, Rose."

"But I don't even know who Fenric is," said Rose, feeling like the answer was right at the tip of her tongue but something was preventing her from remembering exactly what it was. A sudden image flashed through her mind: _Everything. Do you really want to know everything?_

She gasped, and Ace grabbed her shoulders roughly. "You looked like you were going into shock," said Ace, not mentioning that her eyes had seemed to glow in that moment.

"I just remembered something," said Rose, clutching Ace's arms almost painfully. "Back on Gallifrey. Something the Bad Wolf told the Doctor but he refused to know what it was. He said he didn't want to know everything. Like it was a secret that he didn't want anyone to ever know."

Ace pursed her lips as she rubbed Rose's shoulder in comfort. "The Doctor has a lot of secrets but...the most obvious one that comes to mind..."

"What?" asked Rose earnestly. "Tell me."

"Who he is," said Ace. "He told me that he was far more than just another Time Lord."

Rose's arms fell to her sides. "Oh my god," she said, her mind practically whirling. The Other. She had been so curious about him, and the Doctor had been so evasive. He had called it his secret. A secret so terrible that he could never tell anybody. It was so obvious now.

"Rose," called Ace, when the other girl remained speechless. "What's wrong?"

Rose didn't answer as the endless possibilities flew through her mind. _It was the Other's secret. But it is mine to keep as well._ He had practically told her and she hadn't even realised it. If he really was the Other...and the Bad Wolf was connected to him...

Ace was starting to look worried at her silence but they were interrupted when Jenkins and Adam ran to them.

"Ma'am, there is bad news," said Jenkins sombrely. "There's only static on the other end."

Ace turned away from Rose who was looking very pale. "The comms. must be down. Nothing to worry," said Ace, trying to sound reassuring even as she looked at Rose in worry.

"That's not the worst of it," said Adam apologetically. "I checked on the vault security and it shows that there was a massive ceiling collapse inside. No one could have survived that."

Ace shook her head insistently. "They would have got out," she said, sounding more confident than she was feeling. "We just have to find a way to get in touch with them."

"Collins' comm. signal is still coming from the vault," said Jenkins, looking very much like he would have liked to believe Ace. "I'm sorry, ma'am. They're all dead."


	24. The Dalek Factor: The Key to Time

_Previously_

_Rose didn't answer as the endless possibilities flew through her mind. It was the Other's secret. But it is mine to keep as well. He had practically told her and she hadn't even realised it. If he really was the Other...and the Bad Wolf was connected to him..._

_Ace was starting to look worried at her silence but they were interrupted when Jenkins and Adam ran to them._

_"Ma'am, there is bad news," said Jenkins sombrely. "There's only static on the other end."_

_Ace turned away from Rose who was looking very pale. "The comms. must be down. Nothing to worry," said Ace, trying to sound reassuring even as she looked at Rose in worry._

_"That's not the worst of it," said Adam apologetically. "I checked on the vault security and it shows that there was a massive ceiling collapse inside. No one could have survived that."_

_Ace shook her head insistently. "They would have got out," she said, sounding more confident than she was feeling. "We just have to find a way to get in touch with them."_

_"Collins' comm. signal is still coming from the vault," said Jenkins, looking very much like he would have liked to believe Ace. "I'm sorry, ma'am. They're all dead."_

Through the rubble, the Doctor crawled over to the person closest to him who turned out to be the Brigadier. "Alistair! Alistair," he called, scrambling his hand towards the Brigadier's neck. He almost sagged with relief when he felt the steady thrum of the Brigadier's pulse. "Alistair, can you hear me?"

The Brigadier opened his eyes slowly and the first thing he did was shoot a glare at the Doctor. "A chap could have used a warning before you brought the ceiling down on top of us, Doctor," he said irritably.

The Doctor beamed at the familiar berating tone. "Good to have you back among the conscious, Brigadier," he said fondly. "And collapsing the ceiling was essential. Whatever Van Statten mixed with Dalekanium to make those daleks, it makes their outer shell more prone to damage."

"Any sign of Miss Goddard?" the Brigadier asked as he sat up with the Doctor's help.

The Doctor looked around the fallen rubble and caught a flash of red hair. He scrambled over to her quickly and felt her pulse. She was breathing but had taken a blow to the head. "She needs medical attention," he said. "Brigadier, we have to start crawling toward the exit."

The Brigadier raised himself up on his knees and looked around. "Which way is it?"

"Through there," said the Doctor, nodding to the right. "I'll carry Diana."

The Brigadier grunted in slight pain as he started to crawl through the rubble. He cast a last saddened look at the large pile-up, remembering Collins' lifeless body hitting the floor. The brave fellow had volunteered to face the Daleks while the Doctor weakened the ceiling with his sonic screwdriver. Suddenly, he spotted a movement through the fallen debris.

"We have to hurry," he called to the Doctor who had Diana flung on his shoulder. "The Daleks are recovering."

They increased their pace and were almost at the now-open exit when the Dalek from Van Statten's demonstration rolled along towards them. They stopped in their paths, too petrified to move as the Dalek raised its gun and aimed it at the Doctor.

"You have been identified as the Doctor," it said. "You are an enemy of the Daleks. You will be EXTERMINATED."

The Doctor's lip curled in anger but before he could form a retort to that, the other Daleks behind the collapse picked up their leader's chant as they started to clear the debris in their path.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"Oh, just hold on now," said the Doctor, putting on an air of someone wholly bored of the entire thing.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" the Brigadier muttered at him through the corner of his mouth.

"Well, Brigadier, you ought to remember one very important thing," said the Doctor, sounding optimistic.

"What would that be, Doctor?" asked the Brigadier, clearly playing along.

"I always have an Ace up my sleeve," said the Doctor.

"That's right he does, tin can," said Ace as she emerged from behind the Dalek Prime. "Now, Blossom!"

Rose covered the Dalek's eyestalk with a handful of toothpaste at the same time that Ace stuck a Nitro-9 can to the Dalek's body. Before the Dalek could do more than scream about its vision being impaired, the Nitro-9 had exploded.

As the smoke cleared, the Doctor and the Brigadier emerged out, the Doctor still carrying Diana. Dalek Prime was motionless once more but they were all positive that it would recharge soon enough, as would the now-dormant Daleks in the vault.

Before Ace could ask the Doctor how they were meant to deal with it, the Doctor handed Diana to Corporal Jenkins and Adam who immediately started checking her for damage. The Doctor drew out the core of the Key to Time and touched it to the motionless Dalek Prime. Everyone in the vicinity watched with wide eyes as the Dalek shimmered and turned into a transparent part of a cuboid structure. The Doctor bent down and picked it up, smiling at Rose, Ace and the Brigadier.

"What just happened?" asked Van Statten, looking at the Doctor with wide eyes. "What did you do to my creation?"

"Oh shut up, Van Statten," snapped Ace. "What about those remaining ones in the vault, Professor?"

"I believe you should get in touch with UNIT, Brigadier," said the Doctor, pocketing the segment. "That lot needs to be taken care of," he said, nodding back towards the daleks.

The Brigadier nodded and took the radio that Corporal Jenkins gave him and started relaying instructions to UNIT personnel outside the venue. The Doctor ignored Van Statten's demands and ensured that Diana, who was just waking up, wasn't seriously injured or needed any emergency care. Upon making that she would be just fine after some proper medical care, he ordered Adam to take Diana outside where there would be emergency services waiting.

"We are ordered to vacate the premises." The Brigadier was back. "The UNIT response team will be here," he added.

"Then I'm afraid Rose and I must take our leave," said the Doctor, looking at Rose who had been rather quiet the whole time.

The Brigadier nodded and shook the Doctor's hand. "Thank you for your help, Doctor," he said.

"My pleasure, Alistair," said the Doctor with a wide smile.

The Brigadier shook Rose's hand who smiled widely at him as she returned his handshake. His gaze wandered over to Van Statten who was already on his phone, calling up his contacts which made the Brigadier sigh.

Ace shot him a reassuring grin. She doubted that this little incident would go unexamined by UNIT. Van Statten would have a lot to answer for. She glanced at Rose who was still very quiet.   
She didn't know what had made her go so quiet and contemplative but Ace recognised anger brimming under her calm demeanour and knew that she and the Doctor would be hashing some things out soon.

Speaking of whom, as the Brigadier left, dragging Van Statten and Jenkins with him, Ace turned to Rose. "You going to be okay?" she asked her in a low voice, aware of the Doctor who was pretending to examine the segment of the Key.

Rose gave a small smile and nodded. "Thanks for everything, Ace," she said, sincerely.

Ace smiled and gave her a card. "Anytime you wanna talk, just call," she said.

Rose took the card and hugged Ace, startling the older woman. "Thank you, Ace," she said. She looked between her and the Doctor and decided to give them some privacy.

The Doctor smiled gratefully at her as she left but Rose was too lost in her thoughts to register it. As she went towards the kitchens, the Doctor turned to Ace. "So, Miss McShane," he said playfully. "I suppose this is goodbye."

"I know that I didn't leave things on a very good note the last time we met," Ace blurted out, looking a bit embarrassed. "I guess, it was just one time too many for me."

The Doctor looked genuinely regretful. "I am very sorry, Ace," he said. "I wouldn't have wished that incarnation on anyone and I regret every day that you had to bear the brunt of it."

"I don't regret it, you know," Ace told him. "I do wish that some things had happened differently but I'd never regret all the time I spent with you."

The Doctor smiled. "I am very glad to hear it," he said, holding out his arms.

Ace grinned and hugged him tightly. "See you then, Professor," she said.

"See you, my Ace," he said, looking proud as punch as he looked at her.

Ace nodded and began to leave before turning back to the Doctor. "Look after Rose, will you?" she said.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "I always do," he said carefully.

Ace gave a bitter smile. "I mean it," she said. "If there's one thing you can do is learn from your mistakes."

"Ace," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Goodbye, Professor," said Ace, smiling sadly at him.

The Doctor watched as Ace nodded and left. He stood there for a long time, contemplating her words before being reminded that he had to leave before the UNIT response team got in. He jogged over to the now-empty kitchens and made his way to the larder. Rose was already inside the TARDIS and had left the door open for him.

He closed it after himself and walked over to the console. A few quick flicks of levers and the TARDIS started up, taking them into the vortex. He looked at Rose who was sitting in her armchair, her expression quiet and contemplative as it had been from the moment he had laid eyes on her again. There had been no smile or hug from her and the Doctor was getting rather worried.

"Rose," he began, only to have her cut him off.

"The last piece?" she asked, looking at the table in front of her where she had put the partially assembled key. The Doctor raised his eyebrows at the dismissive response but he took the last segment and placed it into the right spot. "Is that it?" she asked.

"No," he answered and inserted the core right down the middle of it.

The whole Key glowed brightly as the lights in the TARDIS dimmed and the rotor came to a halt. Rose stood up, and looked at the Doctor for an explanation.

"Doctor."

The two of them whirled around when they saw the white-haired man in his white suit and panama hat smiling serenely at them. "You have been successful," he said.

"Rose, meet the White Guardian," said the Doctor.

Rose gave a small nod in his direction and received a short bow in return. "A pleasure, Miss Tyler," he said. "The Key, Doctor?"

The Doctor carefully picked up the Key and walked over to the White Guardian. As soon as he was about a foot away from him, the Key floated from his hands over to the White Guardian who held it reverently.

"This will not go unrewarded, Doctor, Miss Tyler," said the White Guardian.

"We have no need for rewards, sir," said the Doctor carefully. "I just hope you sort out the war."

"With this, Doctor, we shall be able to," said the White Guardian, looking to the Key. "As I understand, Miss Pond and Mr Williams are no longer travelling with you."

"No," said Rose. "They stayed back on Nimbus Prime."

The White Guardian gave a short nod. "They shall lead a very fulfilling life," he said. "As shall you both. Goodbye."

The last word continued to echo around them as the White Guardian faded out of sight. The lights inside the TARDIS brightened again and the rotor started up. The Doctor turned away from the spot where the White Guardian had disappeared and looked at Rose who had lost her calm demeanour and was glaring at him.

"Yes, Rose?" he sighed, bracing himself.

"Tell me about Fenric," said Rose, managing to keep her voice calm despite the glare she was shooting at him.

The Doctor had evidently not been expecting that. "Fenric? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Ace told me about Fenric's wolves," said Rose, starting to pace as she talked. "You didn't think that there was any connection to Bad Wolf?"

"What?" he asked, so genuinely shocked that Rose stopped and stared at him.

"You really didn't think they were connected," said Rose, sounding surprised.

"Of course, I didn't," he snapped. "I still don't. I am certain it is just a coincidence."

"No, it really isn't," said Rose with a bitter smile. "When I met Ace, I had a flashback to Bad Wolf on Gallifrey and Ace had a flash of Fenric."

The Doctor looked unsettled at that revelation but shook his head insistently. "Rose, it must have been a coincidence," he said.

Rose didn't appear to be listening to him. "I also remembered a few more things about the Bad Wolf," she said.

"Like what?" asked the Doctor, looking cautious now.

"The Other," she said, looking straight at him. "It's you, isn't it?"

The Doctor's eyes went wide momentarily before his face hardened. "Rose…"

"Don't," she said. "Don't insult me by lying to me again." He fell silent as she started pacing again. "I should have seen it before. You practically told me but I didn't get it."

"Rose," he said, pleading now as he registered the hurt in her voice.

"What else haven't you told me?" she demanded. "What more do you know about Arkytior and Bad Wolf and Fenric that you don't want me to know?"

"Nothing," he said, looking astonished that she would doubt him now. After all they'd been through together.

Rose shook her head and he was startled to see tears glistening in her eyes. "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You have kept secrets every step of the way. What reason do I have to believe you?"

The Doctor looked horrified as her face crumpled and tears slid down her cheeks. "Rose," he said, looking deeply ashamed and regretful. "Oh Rose," he said, moving towards her but Rose took a step back, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, Rose, you have to believe me. I never wanted to hurt you. I only wanted to protect you, I wanted to keep you safe. My darling Rose, I would never…"

The lights in the TARDIS suddenly went out completely, plunging them into darkness. Even the Doctor's superior vision was useless in the unnatural darkness that surrounded them. "Rose?" he called, extending his arms in front of him to find her.

There was no reply; in fact, there was no sound at all. The Doctor felt a trickle of fear in his hearts, just as the lights came on again. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision but his hearts went cold when he saw that Rose was no longer in the console room.

"ROSE!" he called, knowing that he hadn't heard her move or go inside. She had simply disappeared. "ROSE!"

He was about to head to the console to see what had happened when a blinding pain filled his head. With a scream loud enough to chill any mortal's heart, the Doctor fell to his knees as his vision went white. The TARDIS gave a mournful whine as her systems began to shut down one at a time.

The Doctor lost consciousness slowly, feeling the connection to the TARDIS being broken off but being unable to stop it.

Across the universe, the ominous laughter of the Black Guardian continued echo.


	25. Different Beginnings: Phantasmagoria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song used in this chapter is 'Blue Skies' by Irving Berlin.

_Previously_

_The lights in the TARDIS suddenly went out completely, plunging them into darkness. Even the Doctor's superior vision was useless in the unnatural darkness that surrounded them. "Rose?" he called, extending his arms in front of him to find her._

_There was no reply; in fact, there was no sound at all. The Doctor felt a trickle of fear in his hearts, just as the lights came on again. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision but his hearts went cold when he saw that Rose was no longer in the console room._

_"ROSE!" he called, knowing that he hadn't heard her move or go inside. She had simply disappeared. "ROSE!"_

_He was about to head to the console to see what had happened when a blinding pain filled his head. With a scream loud enough to chill any mortal's heart, the Doctor fell to his knees as his vision went white. The TARDIS gave a mournful whine as her systems began to shut down one at a time._

_The Doctor lost consciousness slowly, feeling the connection to the TARDIS being broken off but being unable to stop it._

_Across the universe, the ominous laughter of the Black Guardian continued echo._

When the Doctor regained consciousness, the first thing he realised that he was tucked in rather comfortably in bed. A familiar scent enveloped him and he smiled happily. Rose. Thank Rassilon she was alright.

It had been an extraordinary dream, he remembered. They had handed the Key back to the White Guardian but then the TARDIS had been enveloped by darkness and Rose had disappeared. He also recalled a splitting headache but he expected it had passed. Rose must have helped him into bed.

In any case, his head felt fine. He felt rather well-refreshed for some reason. He turned to his side, only to have his senses assaulted by Rose's scent again.

"Rose,"he whispered, without opening his eyes.

A giggle answered and it was music to his ears. She was here, they were both alright and the Key was where it was supposed to be.

"Rose?" she asked, sounding amused. "Feeling mischievous, are we?"

Before he could ponder that rather odd statement, he felt soft lips press against his and his hearts thundered in his chest. He opened his eyes and there she was, pulling away from the kiss and grinning at him.

 _What?_ He didn't voice that out loud as he saw Rose in bed next to him. But she looked so different. Her golden hair was longer, almost all the way to her waist and there were no dark roots. Her face was bright and flushed pink but her eyes had a lot more gold flecks in the brown rather than the occasional green that was there before.

His mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to understand what had happened. She didn't seem to notice his rather speechless state as she ran a hand over his cheek and his lips and smiled. "What would Lord Rassilon think of you calling me Rose? Such a scandal," she said teasingly.

"R-Rassilon?" he stammered.

She grinned. "Don't you remember the last time you called me Rose in public? I thought he'd have a fit over you not using my Gallifreyan name," she said.

 _Gallifreyan name…Arkytior._ No, none of this made sense. Rassilon was long dead, Rose was human and he certainly couldn't remember how those two things could be happening in this conversation. "Am I dreaming?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears.

Rose threw her head back and laughed and he couldn't help but stare at the shining golden hair and her pale creamy neck. Pale creamy neck that led to other parts barely covered by a thin white sheet. He gulped as he let his eyes trail down her body as she lay like a goddess, with her hair like a halo around her head.

 _Dream-dream-dream_ his mind screamed because there was no possible way that this was real. He and Rose weren't like that, whatever his feelings.

He opened his mouth, ready with a hundred questions on his lips but something chimed and Rose sat up hastily. She touched the device on the side table next to their bed and the Doctor sat up and stared. This wasn't the room in the TARDIS. This was a spacious room done is shades of white and blue with a huge glass window to the side. A window that went from the floor to the ceiling. And beyond which, there was a view of…No, no, no.

Impossible. That was impossible. He jumped out of bed hastily, hardly realising that he was naked as he stood looking out of the window. The twin suns shone brightly over the citadel in the distance and he couldn't breathe. Gallifrey, he was on Gallifrey.

Except just like Rose, this wasn't the Gallifrey he remembered. Oh, it looked much the same but there were fewer buildings in the citadel and the whole place looked…new. The Doctor was more than a thousand years old but Gallifrey was a lot older than him. However she looked so much newer, without the hushed burdens of history that eons had heaped on her.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't think through the confusion and the impossibility of knowledge that he had somehow travelled back in time to his own planet.

"Not that I object to it, but you do realise that you're naked right?" he heard Rose ask behind him.  
He turned around and stared at her. She was sitting up, the white sheet wrapped around her, her hair falling around like waterfall around her. No, this wasn't real, couldn't be real. Gallifrey had strict time defences, one couldn't just pop back into the planet's past upon a whim.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, frowning.

He didn't answer, merely shook his head. "This isn't real," he said, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, Rose was still there, looking at him in confusion.

"What's not real?" she asked him.

"This!" he said, gesturing wildly around him. "Everything! Gallifrey! You!" he said.

Rose's smile dimmed. "Are you feeling alright? Has the stress got to you yet again?"

"Stress of what?" he asked, despite himself.

She looked worried as she stood up and walked up to him. He averted his eyes but she seemed unconcerned at her unclothed state. Some part of his brain pointed out that he was in the same state as her but before he could think to cover himself up, she said a string of musical syllables that nearly stopped his hearts.

It was his name; no, he corrected, it was the name he instinctually knew had belonged to the Other. Rose couldn't have known, not even this version of her. Unless…

"Arkytior," he murmured, his brain starting to put the pieces together. He had suspected, oh he had suspected this but never in all his lives had he thought that this would be true. It was Rose; she was the Eternal that the Other had fallen in love with.

No wonder he couldn't see her timeline, their timelines had been entwined from such a long time ago. Bonded forever, in such a way that not even death could have broken it.

But no, he reminded himself. This was just an illusion, perhaps a long buried memory but he had to get out of it. He had to find his Rose; the Rose Tyler whom he had met while Cybermen had taken over the shop in London, who was his best friend and the one he adored immensely. The past was just that; the past. It might have influenced why he had been intrigued by Rose but he knew that he had come to love her for all she had done for him and the universe since she had travelling with him.

Rose Tyler was grumpy in the mornings, was inordinately fond of chips and the colour pink, and loved to pester him about changing his wardrobe once in a while. She had a compassionate heart, a generous soul and a smile that could light up the skies. She was very real and he had to wake up now to find her. The Other and his Eternal could relive their memories for all he cared but he was going to find his Rose.

_Never saw the sun shining so bright,  
Never saw things going so right…_

"What is that?" he asked, snapping out of his thoughts at the song that had started playing.

"What is what?" Arkytior questioned, looking concerned.

_Noticing the days hurrying by,  
When you're in love, my how they fly  
Oh blue skies, smiling at me_

"Irving Berlin," he muttered, recognising the song. He blinked and when his eyes opened, he nearly lost his footing at the sounds that assaulted his ears. Crowds cheering, children laughing, vendors selling their wares, the sound of ocean in the background…

"Doctor?"

He gave a start as he recognised Rose. It was his Rose, with her shorter hair, dark roots and all, jeans and a blue hoodie. He gave a cry of delight and planted a kiss on her forehead before pulling her into a tight hug. He felt her laugh as she returned his hug.

"Blimey, you're acting like you haven't seen me in years," she said as she pulled away.

"Feels like it," he said. He glanced around again and realised that they were at a fair. He certainly did not remember coming here. "Where are we?" he asked.

Rose looked at him in concern. "Blackpool," she said. "You feelin' alright?"

"Blackpool?" he asked.

"Yeah, we handed the Key over and I said we should go somewhere fun," said Rose cautiously, looking very worried at his lack of recollection. "Doctor, do you wanna go back to the TARDIS?"

"No, no," he said at once. "Blackpool is good. Fun to visit indeed. What year is it?" he asked.

"2008," said Rose. "Look, let's go back to the TARDIS. I'll make you a cuppa while you try and understand why you can't remember yeah?"

The Doctor nodded slowly. "Right, yes," he said. "Where did we park the TARDIS?"

"Come on, this way," said Rose, taking his hand and pulling him towards the boardwalk. As they passed the last of the vendors, the Doctor stiffened at the song being played.

_When you're in love, my how they fly  
Oh blue skies, smiling at me  
Nothing but blue skies, do I see…_

"That song," he said.

"Irving Berlin, isn't it?" asked Rose.

"You can hear it?" he asked, sounding surprised.

_Blue birds singing a song  
Nothing but blue birds all day long_

"Yeah," said Rose, looking very worried and the Doctor couldn't help but compare the near identical expression he had seen on Arkytior's face. "Come on, back to the TARDIS."

The Doctor let her lead him away from the fair but as they walked underneath the exit arch of the fair, the world seemed to tilt and everything went dark.

_Noticing the days hurrying by,  
When you're in love, my how they fly  
Oh blue skies, smiling at me_

"Irving Berlin," he muttered, recognising the song. He blinked but stayed right where he was. "No," he said, realising that he was still on Gallifrey. "I was in Blackpool."

"What is Blackpool?" Arkytior asked him, touching his forehead as if trying to gauge if he was ill.

He stumbled away from her and sat down on the bed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "None of this makes sense," he murmured.

She knelt in front of him and took both his hands in hers. "Tell me what is wrong," she said, her expression pleading.

Try as he might, he couldn't ignore that look, least of all from her. "I am swinging back and forth through time. In a way that shouldn't be possible," he said.

"Do you want me to send for Lord Rassilon?" she asked. "Perhaps he shall be able to help."

He almost nodded before shaking his head. He couldn't be certain that this wasn't some dream, perhaps a telepathic trap that was forcing him to relive a past life that he had erased completely from his mind. "No," he said. "I just…I need you to refresh my memories," he said, looking at her.

She looked worried but nodded as she extended her hand towards his temple. Startled, he caught her wrist before she could establish a connection. "No!" he shouted, wincing when he saw the hurt flash across her face. "I-I meant, just talk to me," he said, softening his voice. "Please."

"What do you want to know?" she asked, looking slightly wary.

"Gallifrey," he said. "What are you doing on Gallifrey?" There, that was a safe question. Why would an Eternal be on Gallifrey?

She bit her lip as she stood up and sat down next to him on the bed. "Hiding," she said, looking down at her hands. "Lord Rassilon is keeping Fenric and the others away for the time being."

He went rigid when she mentioned Fenric. So there was something connecting it after all. He owed Rose an apology for dismissing her concerns, among other things. "How is he doing that?" he asked, his tone gentler now.

"The birth of our daughter has all but obscured my immortal signature," she said, sounding very sad. "We have no idea how long it will be until it wears off and I'll be visible to them again."

The Doctor's vision swayed precariously. A child; she had given birth to a girl. The legend had been true. He had been a father; she had borne him a child. A womb-borne child. "Where…" he said, his voice sounding so hoarse that he wasn't sure she could hear him. "Where is she now?"

Her head bowed and a few tears dropped into her lap. "In the vortex," she answered in a small voice. "I cannot say where she is. Lord Rassilon was adamant that it was the only way to keep her safe."

Without even thinking, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. She buried her face in his neck and sobbed as he held her tightly. "I am so sorry," he said. "We'll find her one day. I promise," he added, meaning every word of it. Now that he had this confirmation, no power in the universe would stop him from finding his daughter, Susan's mother.

"I believe you," she murmured, looking up at him with tear-filled gaze.

He brushed the tears off her cheek with his thumb and gazed into her eyes, feeling almost humbled by the glow of Eternals that shone from them. He could see why he had fallen in love with her as the Other. Like his Rose, she was beautiful, kind and held such love for him that it was overwhelming.

He felt unworthy of her, but he didn't stop her as she leaned in and kissed him languidly. Without breaking the kiss, she pushed him back until he was lying on the bed on his back. The Doctor was so completely lost in the sensation that he missed the song when it started playing again.

_Blue days, all of them gone  
Nothing but blue skies from now on…_


	26. Different Beginnings: The Mandarin

Rose Tyler was comfortably asleep when she felt the bed shift slightly. Without even opening her eyes, she knew that the Doctor must be getting up. He was up before her almost every day and he tried not to jostle the bed too much when he did but she always registered him leaving the bed.

She waited for the tell-tale thump of his legs hitting his side of the floor but it didn't come. In fact, she could still feel him breathing next to her but he was awake. Keeping her eyes shut, she wondered what he was doing when she felt him take her hand.

Rose's heart started hammering in her chest; he had never done anything like that before. Sure, he had held her hand in bed before but this was different. He thought she was asleep and he was…kissing her hand? Rose didn't dare breathe for fear of startling him and alerting him to the fact that she was awake. As his lips drifted lazily up her arm, Rose could keep silent no longer.

Her eyes opened and she was expecting him to jump away and start muttering about places to go and people to see but he was smiling at her with such a warm gaze that she went red.

"Morning," he murmured when he saw that she was awake.

"M-Morning," said Rose, wondering if she had suddenly stepped into the Twilight Zone. "You alright, Doctor?"

"Feeling saucy this morning, are we?" he asked, grinning at her. "I'll play along then. Actually, nurse, I think I might need a close check-up."

Rose's eyes went wide at his suggestive tone. She surreptitiously found her arm and went to give it a sharp pinch when she encountered soft cotton. Frowning, she sat up in bed and looked down at herself. She was dressed in a white nightgown that covered her practically from head to toe, including her arms. Okay, so she definitely was in some bizarre dream. Or a trap, at least.

She chanced a look at her surroundings and realised that yes, she was definitely in a dream. Because this was a room. A room in a house. With cheery floral wallpaper, knick-knacks and all. She glanced back at the Doctor, or well, man who looked like the Doctor, who looked a bit confused at her reaction.

"Rose?" he asked, looking concerned. "Is everything alright, love?"

Rose pressed her hands to her eyes as if hoping that it would wake her up from the obvious dream that she was having, when she noticed something on her left hand. Specifically, the third finger on her left hand. Wondering how she hadn't noticed a wedding ring and band on her finger before now, Rose touched it to make sure that it was real and not a figment of her imagination. 

She looked back at the Doctor and saw that he wore a matching band on his left hand. He was also wearing an expression of great concern when a shrill ringing made them both jump. 

The Doctor got out of bed and left the room to answer the phone. Wondering why the phone wasn't kept in the bedroom, Rose followed him and almost fell down in shock when she saw him run downstairs to the living room and answer a large, black rotary phone. Antiquated would be an optimistic way of describing it.

Feeling like she was in a daze, Rose examined the photographs lining the stairway and saw black and white images of the two of them from every frame. She ran down the stairs and looked around the neatly decorated house that evidently belonged to her and the Doctor. Except he wasn't the Doctor, not exactly anyway since she found a stack of files bearing the name Dr. John Smith on them.

"Rose?" He sounded concerned at her odd behaviour.

Rose turned to look at him. "What year is it?" she asked.

He walked up to her slowly and took her hand. Rose tried not to flinch at the unfamiliar warmth of his hand. "Rose, love, are you feeling unwell?" he asked, looking so deeply concerned that Rose was reminded of the Doctor.

Instead of denying it, Rose decided to seize the opportunity and gave a nod. "I-I feel faint," she said. "What year is it?" she persisted, hoping he would tell her if he thought she was suffering from lack of oxygen to the brain.

"1953," he said. "Come on, I'll take you back to bed." Before she could protest, he swept her up into his arms and started to make his way back to the bedroom.

Rose tried to understand what was going on but every explanation she came up with was weaker than the one before. She tried to focus on the last thing that she could remember but she kept drawing a blank. They had handed over the Key to Time to the White Guardian and then…

 _The argument_ , she realised. She had confronted the Doctor about Ace and Fenric and the Bad Wolf. She couldn't remember anything that had happened next.

"Here we are." Rose jumped as John Smith laid her back down on the bed. He smiled at her and brushed her hair back from her face. "I know it's my day off but Dr. Gough called. I have to go to work until lunchtime at least. Do you want me to send for Mrs. Johnson next door?"

Rose shook her head quickly. "I'll be okay," she said, wanting to be alone while she figured things out. "You should go."

He looked unhappy at having to leave her but Rose shot him her best reassuring smile and he nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll be back in a few hours," he said.

Rose nodded hastily and tried her hardest to stay still as he reached down and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he murmured.

"Love you," Rose muttered quickly when he stared at her, obviously expecting her to reciprocate.

Satisfied, he shot her grin and went off to freshen up and get dressed. Rose tuned out the noises and decided to check in the bedside table on her side. It contained the usual crap: a book, some moisturiser, a shield-shaped locket…

Rose straightened up when she recognised the TARDIS key. She quickly pulled it out and examined the engraving to make sure that it was indeed the right key. The marks were all there and Rose closed the key into her fist, feeling heartened for the first time since waking up.

"Alright, I'm off."

She hastily covered the key with the duvet and smiled at John Smith who blew her a kiss and left. Rose waited until she heard the door slam shut before throwing the duvet off her and rushing back downstairs. The house was neat, too neat as a matter of fact. Rose was certain that the 1950s or not, there was no way that she could keep the house this tidy.

She examined the rooms and realised that there was only one door in the house that was locked. It was right next to the kitchen and would have been an ordinary storage closet, but the fact that it was locked had her intrigued. She examined the lock and was surprised to see that instead of a normal keyhole, it was identical to the lock on the TARDIS doors.

Just as she was about to try and open the door with the key, the radio behind her jumped to life with a song, startling her. She recognised the song instantly; it was Blue Skies by Irving Berlin.

_Blue skies smiling at me  
Nothing but blue skies do I see  
Blue birds singing a song  
Nothing but blue birds all day long_

Rose was slightly unnerved by the radio turning on by itself but as she took the first steps to turn it off, she felt herself stumble and her vision swam. When the world righted itself, Rose was aware that she was back in her room on the TARDIS.

She cast a quick look down at herself and she was dressed in her usual jeans and a red hoodie, and there was no sign of a ring on her hand. "DOCTOR!" she called, trying not to panic as she ran from her room towards the console room. "Doctor!"

She heard footsteps running towards her, and the Doctor, her Doctor with his usual ridiculous clothes, rushed at her in concern. "Rose? What's wrong?" he asked, frantically.

Rose threw her arms around him and held on tightly, feeling comforted by the two hearts beating in his chest. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you," she said, still holding onto him tightly.

He ran a hand through her hair, startled to find that she was trembling. "Rose, what happened?" he asked gently.

"I don't know," she said, looking up at him. "I must have been dreaming but it felt…real." Her brow furrowed as she looked around the corridor that they were in. "Why was I in my room?"

"You said you were changing out of that gown you wore to the UNIT Christmas Ball," he answered, looking troubled at her lack of recollection. "We are going to Blackpool, remember? Somewhere fun?"

"Blackpool? Right," said Rose, letting the Doctor lead her out into the console room. "Are we there?"

"Yes, but if you'd rather rest…" His words were cut off as the record player that was now permanently based in the console room started playing that song again.

Rose whirled around and looked at the record player with wide eyes. "That song…it was playing…"

"Irving Berlin?" asked the Doctor.

"Yeah, it was playing then too," she said.

"When?" he asked.

"In 1953," she said.

"Rose," said the Doctor with a worried look on his face. "I've never taken you to 1953, love."

"No, I…" Rose went silent as she stared at him with wide eyes. "What did you call me?" she asked, stumbling away from him.

"What? Rose…" he started to say but Rose cut him off with a sharp shake of her head.

"You called me love. You never do that. Other things, yes, but never that," she said, edging away from him. "Who are you? What have you done with the Doctor?"

"I am the Doctor," he said, his face suspiciously smooth.

Rose shook her head insistently. "Tell me who you are!" she said, not caring that her voice had risen loudly.

He opened his mouth but then snapped it shut, dropping all pretence. Rose watched him with tense eyes as his image shimmered and he was replaced by a taller, older man dressed as a Mandarin. The TARDIS console around them dissolved as well until they were standing inside a black nothingness.

"Well, well, well," he said, his voice holding a regal English tone. "You surpassed my expectations, Miss Tyler."

"Who are you?" Rose asked, feeling some semblance of fear that rose instinctually in her heart at the sight of him.

"I have many names. The Mandarin, the Celestial Toymaker, the Guardian of Dreams, but I suppose you would better know me as the Crystal Guardian," he said, smiling benignly at her.

Rose's eyes went wide. "We don't have the Key anymore," she said, knowing that the Crystal Guardian had allied himself with the Black Guardian.

His smile widened. "Oh, I am aware of that," he said. "You see, Rose…may I call you Rose?" Without waiting for her answer, he continued ahead. "You see, Rose, the Black Guardian and I had no interest in the Key to Time. Yes, it is a rather useful thing but gaining it was never our aim."

"Then what was?" asked Rose, feeling dread growing in the pit of her stomach. "What do you want?"

"That, my dear Rose, is something that you will learn in time," he said. "Now. I believe you wanted to know where the Doctor was."

Rose looked surprised that he would bring it up himself but the feeling of dread just worsened at his expectant look. She just gave a quick nod, hoping and praying that he hadn't harmed the Doctor.

The Crystal Guardian waved his hand carelessly and an image brightened through the darkness as if a screen had been switched on. Rose waited for the bright light to die down and as her eyes adjusted, she felt her mouth fall open. It was the Doctor but he was locked in a passionate, naked embrace with a beautiful blonde woman. Rose couldn't see her face at first but as she moved in closer, she felt her heart practically skip a beat.

It was her. Rose was seeing herself, wrapped in the Doctor's arms, kissing him with great passion. She started to feel dizzy at the sheer impossibility of it all. Had the Crystal Guardian fooled the Doctor into thinking he was with Rose, just as he had tried to make her think that he was the Doctor?

She turned to look at the Crystal Guardian who rolled his eyes. "It is not you," he said. "Well, not exactly. Her name is Arkytior."

Rose's heart stuttered in her chest. "And that's not the Doctor, is it? It's the Other," she said, her voice very quiet.

"Good, but not quite," said the Guardian. "In the original timeline, it was the Other. But rather than engage in ahem amorous activities, he left for a meeting in the Citadel on this day and left her alone in their home."

Rose was silent for a moment as she processed his words but then the penny dropped and she stared at him with horrified eyes. "Original timeline? You're rewriting time?!" she shrieked.

"But of course," he said, like it was the obvious thing to do. "It was only a simple matter of replacing the Other with the Doctor at that particular point in time. The rest will happen on its own. You see, Rose, that is the night that the Eternals finally found Arkytior alone and cast her into the vortex with a mortal life, and the very night that the Other jumped into the looms upon discovering the fate of his beloved."

Rose's vision swayed as she understood the implication of his words. He wasn't done though, since he kept going.

"But as time is being changed, the Eternals will arrive in just a matter of hours and find them in a lover's embrace. Instead of doing what they did before, they will simply murder those two. That, Rose Tyler, is how the time is being rewritten. The lovers shall die tonight in each others' arms."

"You can't!" Rose gasped, horrified at the very idea.

"Oh, do not fret," he said, trying for a comforting tone but only managing to sound smugger. "You shall still be born. As Rose Tyler even. Just without worrying about Fenric, Bad Wolf or Arkytior again."

"And without the Doctor, you mean," said Rose, glaring darkly at him.

"Well, I believe humans have a saying that you cannot have everything in life," said the Crystal Guardian.

"If the Doctor dies then, he will never have existed," said Rose, her brain working furiously. "All those people and planets he has saved over the years…none of that will have happened."

"You mean the universe shall continue without his interference," said the Crystal Guardian. "Just as it should have."

"So that's what it's all about? Getting rid of the Doctor entirely?" demanded Rose angrily.

"Oh yes," said the Crystal Guardian. "The Black Guardian and I, we thrive on chaos. The Doctor has been entirely too responsible in thwarting chaos all over the cosmos. It is time that we were rid of him."

"Like hell!" snapped Rose. "I won't let you do this!"

"Perhaps you should start thinking about how you are planning to actually stop me," said the Guardian, sounding almost amused.

Rose snapped her mouth shut but fumed silently. There had to be a way but how was she supposed to go against the Guardians? The Crystal Guardian was currently watching her smugly, with an air of victory about him. Rose took a deep breath, letting her brain process the events that had happened so far. Different realities where she and the Doctor were not who they really were. Nothing quite in common, except…

"The song," said Rose. "Why the song?"

"Pardon?" asked the Crystal Guardian.

Rose didn't answer, she had seen that her question had surprised him. His expression became warier, though he tried to control his reaction. But Rose had seen enough. Closing her eyes, she focused on the song that she had only heard a few times before now.

She didn't know what she expected to happen but she started to feel the now-familiar tilt of the world. She heard the Crystal Guardian scream in fury but Rose kept running the song lyrics over and over in her head, some instinct within her asking her to keep up with it.

The Crystal Guardian's screams became fainter and fainter as Blue Skies kept playing in Rose's mind. She felt the air around her change and knew she had escaped that void space where the Crystal Guardian had taken her.

At the same time, in the void space, the Crystal Guardian stopped his screams and rolled his eyes before allowing a triumphant smile to grace his face as he saw Rose Tyler disappear. 

"Walk into my parlour," he murmured silkily. "Said the spider to the fly."


	27. Different Beginnings: The Other

_Previously_

_Closing her eyes, she focused on the song that she had only heard a few times before now._

_She didn't know what she expected to happen but she started to feel the now-familiar tilt of the world. She heard the Crystal Guardian scream in fury but Rose kept running the song lyrics over and over in her head, some instinct within her asking her to keep up with it._

_The Crystal Guardian's screams became fainter and fainter as 'Blue Skies' kept playing in Rose's mind. She felt the air around her change and knew she had escaped that void space where the Crystal Guardian had taken her._

_At the same time, in the void space, the Crystal Guardian stopped his screams and rolled his eyes before allowing a triumphant smile to grace his face as he saw Rose Tyler disappear._

_"Walk into my parlour," he murmured silkily. "Said the spider to the fly."_

Rose's head felt a bit heavy and she didn't have a chance to gauge her surroundings before her knees buckled and her vision swam. She extended her hand in front of her to find something to steady herself and encountered a cold pole of some sort. Through her blurry vision, she realised that it was a lamppost. Holding onto it tightly, she tried to steady her breathing and clear her vision.

Moments passed and her head thankfully stopped spinning. She straightened up and looked around herself. A shiver ran down her spine when she realised that she was on one of the piers in Blackpool and that she was completely and utterly alone. The carousels, rolllercoaster, big wheel, and various rides were still working with their twinkly bright lights and cheerful music but there was not a soul in sight.

Rose remembered a nightmare she'd frequently had and this one was eerily like it. An amusement park where all the little games and rides were working but there was no one there except her. The more she tried to get out, the deeper she would get trapped in it.

But she hadn't had this nightmare in years, certainly not since she had met the Doctor. From what she could remember, she would go through the exit arch and find herself entering the fair again and again until she woke up screaming. However, she was not a child anymore, and there was the Doctor's entire existence at stake.

With a determined look upon her face, she started to walk through the fair, keeping an eye out for anything that looked as if it wouldn't belong there. All the while, the carousels moved, the lights blinked and the music played on. Rose reached the exit arch and realised that she hadn't encountered anything anomalous during her exploration. She was debating whether or not to attempt going through the arch when the lights around her dimmed, leaving only the rollercoaster brightly illuminated.

Rose had been to Blackpool only once but she had no idea if there was a rollercoaster of the sort that she was seeing anywhere near it. It was massive, with twinkling red, blue and golden lights, and was playing Blue Skies. She knew it was very likely that she was walking straight into a trap but she was also out of options.

She walked towards the rollercoaster and saw that the ticket booth was bolted from the outside. To her great surprise, there was a man inside it, who had his head dropped into his hands. Rose would recognise that silhouette anywhere. Quickly, Rose slid the bolt from the door and opened it.

The man looked up at her in great surprise. "Rose!" he cried.

"Hello," she said, unwilling to call him the Doctor until she knew he was who he said he was.  
He ran up to her and took both of her hands in his, and Rose was startled at their familiar coolness. "It worked! It actually worked!" he cried in delight.

"What did?" she asked him cautiously.

"The fob watch," he said like it was obvious. "Rassilon might have scoffed but I've proved it! A Time Lord consciousness can be contained in a fob watch. I can't wait to see his face when I've proven it."

Rose's heart sank when he mentioned Rassilon and talked about him in the present tense. She tried to muster up a smile but the Other was so animated that he barely noticed her reaction. "I remember what I said to you when I was John Smith," he said eagerly. "You seemed very shocked."

"I-I was, yeah," she said, her voice trembling a bit.

He finally stopped and peered at her. "Why do you look different?" he asked and then looked around at the booth. "I was not in here. I was...where was I?"

Rose brought his attention back to her by squeezing his hands. "The Guardians have trapped us," she said. "They've taken you out of your time and put...my friend, in your place," she said.

"Impossible," he declared. "Such a thing should be absolutely impossible. Yet," he slowed down and gazed at Rose. "Yet here you are. Just like my Arkytior, my Rose."

Rose unsuccessfully fought the blush at his gaze. "I'm not her," she said meekly. "Well, I don't think I am anyway."

"This friend of yours would not happen to be similar to me in appearance, would he?" he asked shrewdly. Rose gave a nod, and he lapsed into a thoughtful silence. "We have to get back to Gallifrey," he said, looking at her finally. "I have to get your friend out of there. On the way, you can explain to me how exactly you and he are identical to Arkytior and I."

"How are we gonna get to Gallifrey?" she asked, swallowing past the lump in her throat as she remembered the Crystal Guardian telling her the fate of the Other and Arkytior.

"My TARDIS," he said. "It was camouflaged as part of the house."

Rose was about to ask him how they were going to get there when the rollercoaster lights started to shut down. He looked up at it in alarm and grabbed her hand. "Run!" he commanded, pulling her behind him as they ran from the booth.

The fair outside was starting to go dark slowly and Rose realised that the darkness was actually starting to chase them. She increased her pace, keeping up with the Other as they reached the exit arch. Rose was about to warn him not to do it but when they ran into it, they came out onto the street. Just like the fair, it was completely empty and nothing like real Blackpool. A single, solitary house stood across from them and as the darkness gained on them, they broke out into a sprint towards it.

The Other pushed the door open and Rose recognised the house that she had woken up in that morning. She didn't pause to see it, being acutely aware of the darkness behind them. The Other fished his pockets for something but Rose reached around her neck and found the key on the chain.

He gazed at her in surprise as she ran to the locked closet and unlocked it. The TARDIS interior was something she had never seen. It was white, too clinical and bare, with a smaller console in the middle and not much else around it.

The Other entered behind her and in a way reminiscent of the Doctor, ran around the console, starting up the TARDIS to pilot them away. "I see," he murmured, as the TARDIS rotor started moving up and down.

"What?" asked Rose.

"It was a void pocket," said the Other, looking up from the readings. "The Guardians basically use it as a place to store the remnants of the rest of the universe. That was where they trapped us." Rose nodded, but was surprised to see him giving her an expectant look. "Well?"

"What?" she asked him warily.

"The key," he said. "How do you have the key to my TARDIS?"

Rose stared at him in surprise as it finally caught up to her that she had unlocked the Other's TARDIS with the key to the Doctor's TARDIS. She then remembered the Doctor telling her that he had stolen his TARDIS from the museum because she was an old ship and the only one that was unlocked. Now she had to wonder if there was something else that had made him choose her.

"Your friend doesn't just look like me, does he?" questioned the Other, and Rose was reminded sharply that he was one of the founders of the Time Lord society, hence brilliant.

"He's a Time Lord," she said quietly.

He nodded as if he had known that. "And you?"

"I am human," she answered truthfully.

He nodded again, but he looked very sad. "Then I suppose that what we dreaded really did happen. The Eternals found us."

It was Rose's turn to nod. "The Crystal Guardian told me that they intended to rewrite time so that the Eternals would find you and h-her together and kill you both instead of…"

"Instead of casting her out into the vortex," he said, his face hardening when he thought of his beloved being killed. "And the Time Lord? How would he...oh."

Rose stared at him, as realisation spread across his face at the prospect of his own fate. "I'm sorry," she said, not knowing what else it was that she could say.

He smiled such a heartbroken smile that Rose had to physically clench her fists to prevent herself from throwing her arms around him. "Just as well," he murmured. "There would be little purpose to go on without you."

 _Oh, screw it_ , she thought as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. He held her tightly, and didn't let go until the TARDIS landed.

~

On Gallifrey, the Doctor and Arkytior were staring in great astonishment at the cabinet that had appeared in the room. They had got dressed a while ago, having not done much except kissing.

"No time for explanations. We have to hurry," said the Other as he rushed out of the TARDIS. "You, leave," he told the Doctor, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Rassilon," murmured the Doctor in shock.

The Other rolled his eyes. "No, actually, I am…"

"Doctor!"

The Doctor's gaze snapped towards the TARDIS and he rushed up to Rose and hugged her. "Rose, Rose, Rose," he chuckled, twirling her around.

"Hope this is real because I can't take any more illusions," she mumbled into his neck. "What are you wearing?" she asked, looking down at the red and orange robes.

He blushed a little. "Only things I could find. I, er, didn't exactly wake up with clothes."

Rose raised her eyebrows and looked behind him. The Other's fingers were touched to Arkytior's temple and both of them had their eyes were closed. To Rose, it somehow looked more intimate than if they had been shagging. She looked at the Doctor, who was blushing darker now and looking anywhere but at them.

"How do you two look alike?" Rose asked the Doctor in a whisper. "Out of all your regenerations."

"Because he met you," the Other answered, opening his eyes but still looking at Arkytior who had tears in her eyes.

The Doctor didn't answer but he knew that everything in his regeneration had been in anticipation of meeting Rose, whether he had been aware of it or not until now. His TARDIS had even landed in Rose Alley in San Francisco where he had died in his seventh life. A mere day later he had met Rose in his new body.

Arkytior finally tore her gaze away from the Other and looked at the Doctor and Rose. "You must go now," she said.

"Can't we do anything?" asked Rose, feeling helpless knowing that those two were going to die soon.

Arkytior chuckled at her kindly. "Did you not just prevent all that?" she asked gently.

Rose went pink. "Right," she mumbled.

"It is alright," said Arkytior softly. "Seeing the two of you now, well, we do know that our love does not end with our lives today."

The Doctor and Rose looked at each other before shaking their heads quickly. "Oh no," said Rose, at once. "We're not…"

"Rose and I are friends," said the Doctor, though he sounded much less convincing than Rose.

The Other and Arkytior stared at them like they were both mad. "Right," said the Other finally, exchanging a look with Arkytior. "I suppose our time is up. I would like to say goodbye to my wife before I head to the Citadel."

"Of course," said the Doctor. "Come on, Rose."

"How are we going to leave?" asked Rose.

"The TARDIS," he said, nodding towards the cabinet that they had arrived in.

"But," said Rose, confused.

"I know it's her," he said, tapping the side of his head. He turned back to the Other and gave a slight nod. His eyes softened as he looked at Arkytior, who smiled a little.

Rose was unsure how to react but she waved uncertainly at the two of them before following the Doctor into the TARDIS. A surprised gasp escaped her when she saw that the console room was their own and not the bare, white one from before. The Doctor just smiled mysteriously at her gasp as he started to pilot them away.

The grinding noise of the TARDIS sounded heavier and sluggish as the rotor began to move but the Doctor did not look too worried as he calmly pressed the buttons and flipped levers. Rose felt like she was going to collapse any moment because she'd had her mind pulled in so many directions that she wasn't even sure which way to turn anymore.

"Of course, the question remains," spoke up the Doctor, still staring at the console. "How did they make me swap places with the Other?"

"I dunno," said Rose. "I woke up on Earth, well, I thought it was Earth anyway. I think they made him think that he was experimenting with a fob watch or something."

The Doctor's eyes widened as he looked at her. "It was one of his key discoveries. They must have simply made him relive it, but where were you if not on Earth?"

Rose opened her mouth to answer when the TARDIS rotor came to a halt and the lights dimmed. The Doctor's jaw clenched as he walked over to Rose and clutched her hand tightly. 

Rose could feel her own anger building as they waited for the Guardians to reveal themselves.

The Crystal Guardian materialised first, and then to their greatest surprise, he was followed by the Red, Gold and Azure Guardians. Rose felt her mouth drop open in shock, but before she could say anything, the White and the Black Guardian arrived in the console room.

"I see," said the Doctor, in the same tone that Rose remembered had come from the Other. "There was no war, was there?"

"No, there was not, Doctor," said the White Guardian calmly.

"There would have been easier ways to kill me, you know," said the Doctor coldly.

"Killing you, Doctor," the Black Guardian said nastily. "That was never the plan. Your people have an infernal habit of returning from the dead. Not to mention that you have had your uses over the years."

"Then why?" the Doctor asked in a calm voice that betrayed the storm brewing beneath it. "Why go to all this trouble? What could possibly be so important that all the Guardians had to band together? What was it all for?"

"It had nothing to do with you, Doctor," said the Gold Guardian before her eyes moved slowly to Rose. "It did, however, have everything to do with her."

"Me?" questioned Rose, shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"By all means, Miss Tyler, you should not exist. The Eternals should have killed Arkytior. She was too volatile, too blinded by her love for the Time Lord to do what was expected of her," said the Azure Guardian stiffly.

"What was expected of her?" asked Rose, feeling dread settle in the area of her stomach.

"She was a manifestation of Time, and it was her duty to obey it," said the Red Guardian calmly.

"Which was what, precisely?" asked the Doctor.

"She was sent by Fenric to kill the Time Lord. And the fool fell in love with him," snarled the Crystal Guardian.

"We would have left Miss Tyler alone, but then you met her and we saw history starting to repeat itself," said the White Guardian sadly. "We could not allow it to happen."

"Fenric may not be around anymore but the Guardians still are," said the Azure Guardian. "We had to stop it."

"But you failed," said the Doctor cautiously, rather aware that the Guardians did not look as if their plan had failed.

"Oh no we have not," the Black Guardian said as if the Doctor was missing a big joke. "Look at her, Doctor."

The Doctor's jaw clenched. "She's fine," he said, assuring both himself and Rose.

The Black Guardian's nasty grin widened. "Is she really, Doctor?" the Guardian asked. "Look carefully."

Rose genuinely thought that it was impossible but her feeling of dread grew even more than it already had. "Doctor?" she asked.

The Doctor's eyes roamed over her before he went pale with fear. "No," he whispered, his hand leaving Rose's.

"Doctor? Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, feeling terrified at the way he was looking at her and the way he had moved away from her.

The Black Guardian laughed loudly and the sinister laugh echoed around them as he vanished.

"We are sorry, Miss Tyler," said the White Guardian as he too vanished. The rest of the Guardians followed him, their expressions ranging from regret to indifference.

The Doctor stared at Rose with pain, fear and regret etched onto his face. "Oh Rose," he said. "I am sorry. I am so, so sorry."


	28. Different Beginnings: The Time Lords

_Previously_

_"Doctor? Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, feeling terrified at the way he was looking at her and the way he had moved away from her._

_The Black Guardian laughed loudly and the sinister laugh echoed around them as he vanished._

_"We are sorry, Miss Tyler," said the White Guardian as he too vanished. The rest of the Guardians followed him, their expressions ranging from regret to indifference._

_The Doctor stared at Rose with pain, fear and regret etched onto his face. "Oh Rose," he said. "I am sorry. I am so, so sorry."_

"Doctor, you are scaring me," said Rose, her voice wobbling slightly at the look of utter horror and regret in the Doctor's eyes.

"Rose, oh Rose," said the Doctor as he swiftly crossed the distance between them and crushed her to his chest. His grip on her was desperate; so different than usual that Rose's fear multiplied. "It will be alright."

"Doctor," said Rose sharply, at the end of her patience. "What has happened to me?"

The Doctor sighed as he pulled away just enough to look at her face. "The Guardians trapped you in a void pocket, didn't they?" At Rose's nod, he sighed. "A cosmic abyss like that gives off a particular type of radiation."

Rose gasped. "Like the one we get from travelling in the TARDIS?" she asked.

"No, not quite," said the Doctor. "This radiation is not meant for ephemerals like us. Prolonged exposure, particularly if entered into the pocket voluntarily can be..." he paused and shook his head.

"Can be what?" asked Rose, her eyes going wide as she remembered that she had indeed gone in voluntarily to save the timelines. "Am I contaminated?"

One look at the Doctor's face told her what she needed to know. Her arms fell slack from around him as she stumbled away from him. "Rose..." said the Doctor, looking pained as she withdrew away from him.

"Am I going to die?" she asked in a small voice, looking at him.

"No, of course not," said the Doctor, walking up to her and taking her hands. "The contamination is not affecting you."

Rose gasped and moved away from him again quickly. "Am I infecting you then?" she asked, sounding horrified at the thought.

"No," said the Doctor, closing the distance between them again. "The damage is..."

_CLANG_

The Doctor's eyes went wide. Rose wondered what the sound was when it rang again. CLANG. It sounded like a bell.

"What is that?" Rose asked.

"The Cloister Bell," said the Doctor. "Imminent disaster."

"It's because of me, isn't it?" Rose guessed. "Am I hurting the TARDIS?" she asked, looking like she was considering running.

_CLANG_

"Of course not," he assured her. "It's not the TARDIS. It's the universe."

Rose gazed at him in horror. The Doctor was about to say something, perhaps to reassure her, when the rotor started moving again.

The Doctor's jaw clenched in anger and his grip on her hand tightened. Rose tried not to flinch as she felt the desperation and anger in his grip.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"We're being recalled," he said. "Back to Gallifrey."

"What are they going to do to me?" asked Rose.

The Doctor flinched at her blunt question. "Rose..."

"Please," said Rose, begging him just this once to tell her the truth.

He cupped her cheek with his left hand and drew her close. "The contamination is not permanent, Rose," he said, looking at her with absolute honesty. "I will convince them to think of an alternative."

"An alternative to killing me?" Rose guessed.

The Doctor winced at her phrasing but nodded. "I won't let them hurt you," he promised her. The TARDIS landed but the Doctor did not let go of her. "Everything is going to be alright," he said.

When Rose gave a disbelieving look at the impossibility of that, he leaned forward and kissed her mouth softly. Rose was too startled to respond but the Doctor pulled away just as suddenly as he had kissed her. Rose expected him to brush it off but he smiled tenderly at her and wiped off the tear marks on her cheek with his thumbs. "Ready?" he asked.

Rose drew in a deep breath and linked her hand firmly with his. Holding her head up high, she nodded even though she was not even in the same galaxy as ready. "Ready," she said.

_"Doctor, on the Order of the Chancellery Guard of the…"_

"…of the Time Lords of Gallifrey and the High Council, I am expected to exit my capsule along with my companion, Miss Rose Tyler. I know," said the Doctor, as he and Rose stepped out hand in hand. There was a whole host of guards waiting for them, their faces cold and unamused. "Well, look at that Rose, we get the entire Honour Guard to escort us."

"Doctor," spoke Andred. "This way."

The Doctor opened his mouth, perhaps ready with another impudent response but Rose squeezed his hand and he fell silent. "Lead the way, Andred," he said.

The rest of the Guard followed the Doctor and Rose as Andred led them through the Capitol building. Rose could feel herself trembling, and the Doctor was radiating tension in waves by the time they arrived outside a pair of gilded double doors. Andred came to a halt before them and turned back to look at the Doctor and Rose in turn.

"The Council awaits you," he announced grimly as two of his guards stepped forward and opened the doors in an efficient manner. Andred nodded at them to enter. The Doctor's eyes narrowed before setting into a blank mask as he squeezed Rose's hand and led the way inside.

If Rose hadn't been so nervous and practically shaking with fear, she would have noticed that the courtroom that they were in was magnificent. But all she could see was the Time Lords in their majestic regalia looking at them with cold, hostile looks. Romana sat at the head of the High Table dressed in a robe of red and gold, her face extremely grave. There were Time Lords and Ladies on either side of her but Rose only recognised Irving Braxiatel, the Doctor's brother, sitting on her immediate right. His face was completely expressionless.

"I am flattered. We get a full court for a trial," said the Doctor when the doors behind them were closed. Rose realised that they were in a box meant for the accused and there was an identical box right opposite them. A single Time Lord sat there and Rose was startled when she recognised him as Vansell, the Time Lord who had arrested the Rani.

"This is not a trial, Doctor," said Romana, her voice extremely solemn. "Lord Vansell?"

Vansell stood up and gave a bow towards her. "Thank you, Madam President," he said, radiating smugness in degrees. "The matter is quite simple. The girl is a danger to this universe. We have to get rid of her before she damages the fabric of time any more than she already has."

Rose seethed and longed to snap at Vansell for talking about her like she was some sort of an animal to be put down. The Doctor's warning hand at her back was the only thing that stopped her. Romana had grimaced at his words too, though she tried hard to control it. "I see," she said. "Doctor?" she asked, turning to him.

"I think I would like to know how much the Time Lords are aware of the circumstances surrounding Miss Rose Tyler in this event," said the Doctor, sounding just as grand as Vansell as he challenged them.

Vansell raised an eyebrow but at a nod from Romana, he addressed the Doctor. "Our sensors picked up the contamination immediately. It has already started to corrupt the web of time."

"So, you are unaware that the Guardians of Time interfered?" asked the Doctor, sounding a tad smug.

Whispers broke out all over the courtroom. Vansell's grin slid off as he stared at the Doctor coldly. Romana snapped out of her surprise and called for silence. Next to her, Braxiatel smiled a little before his face became expressionless again.

"I think we need to hear a full account of the events surrounding this incident," said Romana. "Perhaps the Matrix?"

"There is not enough time for that, my lady," said Braxiatel smoothly and Rose felt the Doctor relax. She knew that the Matrix was the collective Time Lord wisdom and viewing it would have revealed everything about the Doctor, the Other and Arkytior.

Romana gave a nod. "A verbal account then, Doctor," she said imperiously.

The Doctor gave a nod and relayed the story of the Guardians making them assemble the Key to Time. "When they had the Key," he continued. "They used it to rewrite time."

"How?" asked Romana.

"They went back to the time of our founders," said the Doctor, choosing his words carefully. "They were about to rewrite Gallifrey's history."

Rose had to work hard not to react to that. It was a lie but she supposed that killing the Other and not having the Doctor ever born was indeed rewriting Gallifrey's history.

"How does the girl come into this?" asked Vansell impatiently.

"Miss Tyler stopped them from doing so," said the Doctor, looking coldly at Vansell. "She risked her life when she went through that void pocket and it was because she did it voluntarily that it has infused her with such an intense dose of radiation."

Murmurs broke out over the courtroom as the Time Lords were now looking at Rose curiously. 

Vansell appeared to be thinking rather quickly. "Why would the Guardians go to such troubles to rewrite our history?" he questioned over the murmurs.

"An excellent question," said the Doctor glibly. "Perhaps you should ask them."

Vansell's nostrils flared in anger but Romana interrupted before he could snap back. "Doctor. Answer the question," she said.

The Doctor sighed. "They felt it was important to get rid of Miss Tyler because just like us, they are aware of her uniqueness," he said.

"That being her timelines?" clarified Romana.

"Yes," said the Doctor. "The Guardians are rather wary of the unexpected and Miss Tyler has the misfortune of being one of the most unexpected people in the universe. The Guardians are manipulating events around her, perhaps out of fear or something else that we are not aware of, and if we let her die now then they would have won."

There was silence following his pronouncement. Rose started to feel a bit optimistic when Vansell suddenly relaxed. "Doctor, your account is sound," he said. "But you have just given us more reason to proceed with this execution."

Rose's mouth fell open in shock while the Doctor glared at him. Vansell allowed himself a small smile before continuing.

"If the Guardians want her out of the way, would it not be better to abide by their wishes? We are in no position to go to war with them. Over a human, no less," he said in an oily voice.

A few Time Lords started nodding in agreement. Rose could see a muscle twitching in the Doctor's jaw but even she had to admit that Vansell had a point.

"Doctor," she murmured quietly. "Maybe…"

"No," he said firmly.

Rose opened her mouth indignantly but Romana called for silence again. She appeared to be steeling herself, and Rose knew that she saw no other way but to sentence her to execution. Rose closed her eyes.

"Perhaps," came Braxiatel's quiet voice. "There can be another way."

Rose's eyes snapped open as she stared at the Doctor's brother. His face was smooth, betraying no emotion.

"Which would be what, Cardinal Braxiatel?" asked Vansell warily.

"The conventional way of dealing with a contamination," said Braxiatel simply. "Quarantine."

The Doctor's stance straightened up considerably at that but Rose had no idea what he was talking about, short of either hospitalising her or locking her up.

"An appropriate planet in a universe not unlike this one can easily be used to safely house Miss Tyler until the contamination is no longer permanent," said Braxiatel.

Romana looked very relieved as she nodded at once. "Start the search for an appropriate universe at once, Cardinal Braxiatel. Do you have a planet that you prefer, Miss Tyler?" she asked.

"Earth," answered the Doctor before Rose could.

Romana looked at Braxiatel who nodded immediately and started tapping on the small silver computer tablet in his hand. "Am I to understand that you will be joining her, Doctor?" asked Romana.

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

"No," said Rose at once. When all eyes, including the Doctor's, turned to her in surprise, she blushed but stayed determined. "I am fine with staying on one planet and all but I'm not trapping him too," she said firmly.

"I am not abandoning you in a new universe on your own," said the Doctor, equally defiant. "Travel can wait."

"Actually," interjected Braxiatel. "You will have no problem with time travel. It's only that space travel would have to be restricted to Earth, or at least that solar system."

"Then why can't I just stay on Earth in this universe?" asked Rose, her heart twisting painfully at the thought of it. But she was not going to let the Doctor be confined to one planet. She still remembered his Third self's annoyance at being exiled.

Romana inhaled deeply. "Once you go into the parallel universe, we will be sealing that one solar system off from the rest of the multiverse. It will only be opened once the contamination no longer threatens us all," she explained patiently.

"What about my mum?" asked Rose.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. "You won't be able to see her," he said apologetically. "Not even phone calls. The walls will be sealed off."

Rose felt dizzy as she digested that. "For how long?" she asked finally.

"We cannot be certain how long the contamination will last for," said Braxiatel quietly. "Could be weeks, months, years." He paused and looked at Rose. "Could be centuries."

Rose chuckled humourlessly. "You mean I could die and my mum would have no idea," she said.

There was silence following it and Rose got the confirmation she needed. She looked at the Doctor, who was gazing at her with great sorrow and compassion. Rose felt tears gathering in her eyes as she looked away miserably.

Romana cleared her throat. "If you have a message for her, we could deliver it to Earth," she offered.

Rose looked up at her friend and gave a watery smile. "Thank you, but it's okay," she said. "If the contamination goes away, can I go and see her just weeks after my last visit?"

"Of course," nodded Romana.

Rose nodded back, feeling heartened. If she didn't survive, she would give the message to the Doctor to take back to her mother. She knew it was probably a bit selfish but if there was even a slight chance that the contamination would be cured in her lifetime, she wanted her mum to hold out hope that Rose would return. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to her yet.

"I have found an appropriate parallel world," said Braxiatel, breaking the silence.

Romana nodded and glanced at them. "We will ensure the transfer of your TARDIS into the parallel world, Doctor," she said. "If you would like to board."

The Doctor looked at Rose, who gave a nod. "Thank you," the Doctor said to the court, but it was obvious he was talking to his brother and Romana.

Vansell, who had been quiet this whole time, caught Castellan Ortan's eye and nodded towards the exit on the other side of the courtroom. The Doctor and Rose were being escorted back to the Doctor's ship, and the rest of the Time Lords were dispersing back to their own duties.

"That did not go as expected," said Castellan Ortan quietly as he and Vansell walked down the corridor together.

"No, it did not," said Vansell. "There is more to that girl than we have been led to believe. Why else would the Guardians be so interested in an ape?"

"Perhaps," said the Castellan, casting a look around to ensure that no one was listening. "We should finish the task either way."

Vansell nodded quietly. "I suppose, I shall go and see the new Lord Burner. Do you know who it is?"

Castellan looked at Vansell with slight contempt. "Nobody is aware of who the Lord Burner is except the President, and I do not see her agreeing to this."

"No, but I am aware that exceptions can be made to every rule. It's a Prydonian's prerogative, Castellan," said Vansell with a small smile. "Rest easy. The Lord Burner shall take care of the girl."

~

Rose felt quite numb as she and the Doctor returned to the TARDIS. She could feel the Doctor's concerned gaze on her but she was in no position to reply to it. She sat down in her armchair near the fireplace and watched as the Doctor stood near the console, not quite touching it.

The rotor started moving and the Doctor gritted his teeth as the Time Lords transported them both to a parallel Earth. Behind him, he heard a quiet sob and felt his hearts break just a little. 

The rotor went still and the Doctor knew that they had arrived. He turned his back on the console and walked towards Rose.

She quickly tried to wipe her tears, hoping he wouldn't notice. The Doctor knelt before her and offered his hand. Rose looked a bit confused but placed her hand in his. His lips quirked lightly in a small smile as he pulled her to her feet.

Wordlessly, Rose followed and watched as the Doctor fiddled with the record player. In a Dream started to play and the Doctor guided her hand on his shoulder and held the other one between his hearts with one of his. His other hand went to her waist and pulled her closer until her head was against his chest.

Gently, he began to move them in time with the music with slow, almost sensual movements. Rose let her eyes fall close as she remembered the two of them dancing like this before they had gone to the UNIT ball. It had only been about a day ago but it seemed like eons had passed between then and now.

She finally felt the events catching up to her and with the Doctor's reassuring hearts beating under her ear, Rose Tyler wept.


	29. New Earth: London

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fitz's introduction is taken from the Eighth Doctor Adventure novel 'The Taint'. I know he was played by Matt Di Angelo in the audio but my personal face claim for Fitz has always been Ben Barnes.

Fitzgerald Michael Kreiner was having a regular, crummy day that was usual for him. He was already on his fifth cigarette and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. Batty old Mrs Simms, his boss, had broken her hip last week which meant that Fitz was left working alone at the godforsaken flower shop. So far he'd entertained three pointless conversations with three equally pointless people and he was ready to drop a bag of compost on the next person to make a stupid remark about the sunny day or the pretty flowers.

The only good part of the day had been that he'd been allowed to smoke while he worked. Mrs Simms wouldn't let him get away with it but since he was the only one around, it wasn't like he could get told off for it. He took a long drag of his cigarette and resisted the urge to scowl as a middle-aged woman with an unnaturally cheerful smile entered the shop.

Casting a longing look at the bag of compost, Fitz put out his cigarette and plastered his best charming smile on his face. "Good afternoon," he greeted the woman with a cheery wink.

The woman blushed and giggled at his charming smile and wink, making him want to roll his eyes. "Good afternoon, young man," she said. "Now, I was wondering if you could help me."

 _I'd rather cover myself in compost and jump into a hole full of worms_ , he thought but gave a quick grin instead. "That's what I am here for, madam," he said.

"I wanted to buy a gnome for my garden," she said.

"Of course, right over here," he said, leading her over to a shelf full of those tiny bastards with their frozen smiles and creepy eyes. Fitz wasn't afraid of them; he just couldn't see the point of keeping those shifty little bastards in your garden. Of course, Fitz hadn't ever lived in a house fit to have a garden so he was not speaking from experience but he honestly didn't get the appeal.

The woman, on the other hand, practically jumped with happiness upon seeing the shelf full of gnomes. "Oh these are lovely," she squealed, picking up the creepiest one in Fitz's opinion. "It's like out of a RJ Tolkien novel."

"JRR," he corrected, mentally patting himself for not rolling his eyes.

"Pardon?" asked the woman, looking up from her perusal of the gnome.

"JR," he said again.

"Oh? Is there a RJ Tolkien Jr. too? That is so neat," she said excitedly.

Fitz put on his best conspiratorial smile and beckoned her closer. "Yes, RJ conceived him in France after a month long affair with a prostitute named Frodo."

The woman gave a shocked gasp. "My word," she said, her eyes as wide as coins. "The things you learn about these people." And just like that, the floodgates opened as the woman started complaining about the artistic types and their loose morals, getting in a few digs about Fitz's long hair and leather jacket too. By the time the woman left, Fitz was beginning to feel that throwing a bag of compost at her was the least he ought to have done.

The clock ticked its way over to midday, and Fitz grinned as he put up the Closed for Lunch sign on the shop before stepping out. He walked down the road to the chippy with his guitar slung over his back. It wasn't as if he was going to play it but as he smiled at the passing brunette who giggled at him, he knew it was worth it.

He took the long way back to the flower shop after his lunch, not particularly eager to get back to work. He'd worked in that place for over two years now after his regular gig down at the pub on Mercer Street had gone down to only three days a week. It wasn't that he was bad; Fitz knew he was plenty good but Molly had been running low on cash and business wasn't exactly booming. 

Fitz still filled in occasionally when there was no entertainment and Molly repaid him in drinks if she didn't have the cash. _All in all, it wasn't a bad arrangement_ , he thought as he reached the shop.

Business was always quiet in this part of the town right after lunch, so Fitz was surprised to see a blonde looking at the flower arrangements in the window. Fitz thanked the heavens every day that he didn't have to do them; some girl named Clarissa would come in the mornings to do it before Fitz got there.

The blonde, on the other hand, was staring at an arrangement of roses and baby's breath, (and didn't Fitz hate himself just a little for knowing that so exactly) with a sad look on her face. Fitz examined her tight blue jeans, the red jumper and black leather jacket that was much smaller and feminine than the one he was wearing, and smirked to himself. She was pretty.

"Can I help you, doll?" he asked with his best charming smile.

She jumped slightly at being spoken to but upon looking at Fitz, she gave a shake of her head. "No, I was just lookin'," she said, her accent almost exactly like Fitz's.

Her slightly dispassionate look made his smile dim but he didn't give up as he looked at her. "How about I open shop and you see if something catches your eye?" he offered.

She smiled a little at that and Fitz felt hope rise in his chest before she shook her head again. "That's nice of you, but I'm just waiting for my friend," she said.

"Friend," said Fitz, hoping she would elaborate and sighed when she didn't. "Well, alright then."

"Do you play?" she asked, nodding towards his guitar.

Fitz grinned; maybe she wasn't completely disinterested. "Yes, down at Molly's pub on Mercer Street," he said. "Fitz Fortune, at your service." He felt he should add a daft bow at the end but felt that she wouldn't find it charming as much as irritating. One thing that Fitz prided himself on was gauging how people would react; a habit borne out of having the stuffing knocked out of him on a regular basis when he was a kid.

"That ain't your real name though," she said, tilting her head at him.

"No, it ain't," he said, not offering anything else. Fitz hated his real name; he knew that it only took a moment for people to hear it and do the arithmetic in their head. _A man in his twenties with a German last name in 1963? Must be a bastard born during the war to a Nazi father and a traitor English whore_. Fitz had heard that and worse, so he didn't want to give any arsenal to this pretty blonde thing.

Her eyes turned sympathetic for a moment before she looked away, as if she was in some sort of pain too. Fitz would have loved to stay and chat but he needed to reopen the shop and get to work. He didn't want to lose his flat because the nosy hag at the newsagent's next door complained to Mrs Simms that he'd been slacking off on the job.

He walked past her and unlocked the door to the shop, taking the Closed sign off as he did. Casting a last look at the blonde lost in her thoughts, Fitz Kreiner got to work.

~

Rose watched the man go back to work in the flower shop and sighed. She hadn't meant to sound so accusing when talking to him. The past three days in this new universe had been stressful, to say the least. They hadn't had a chance to go anywhere; the Time Lords had dropped them in London 1963 and the Doctor had so far spent an awful amount of time calibrating the TARDIS systems to fit this universe.

Rose gave sigh and ran a hand over the new leather jacket that the TARDIS had left in her room for her. She reckoned that the TARDIS must have guessed that Rose needed a change and she had to admit that she was feeling slightly better with the new clothes. The pink hoodies and baggy jeans would have to be left behind for now, as were the ratty sneakers. The new black military boots would take some time to break in but like the leather and the new clothes, it was beginning to feel more like her. Even her hair was longer, because Rose had been meaning to get her mum to give it a trim when they visited her. But now, she couldn't bear the thought of letting someone else do it.

When she had been standing in front of the flower shop, Rose hadn't been staring at the flower arrangement at all. She had been looking at her own reflection, staring at the years in her eyes and wondering how it had taken her so long to notice how much she had changed from that shop girl in London.

Rose had no idea how long it would be until the contamination inside her wouldn't damage the original universe, if it would even happen in her lifetime. Till then, this was it.

"Rose!"

She turned around and smiled when she saw the Doctor waving at her. He smiled widely when he reached her and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. That had been a new development. Rose had always thought that it would be monumental occasion when she and the Doctor got together but it had happened quietly and as naturally as breathing.

A gentle kiss before bed, upon waking up, after breakfast, after morning tea...until it just became normal. Or whatever passed for normal when it came to them. No one had been more surprised than Rose when the Doctor had been the first one to initiate the kiss but she soon became comfortable with initiating the touch as well as reciprocating it thoroughly. In a span of three days, they had gone from being best friends to, well, the jury was out on what they were now.

Despite their relationship being more romantic than platonic, Rose was keenly aware that they hadn't had sex. The Doctor didn't push and Rose was afraid of what would happen if she did and he rejected her. Rose knew that she was fragile right now and the Doctor was the only thing she had in this universe. It wouldn't do for her to make things difficult between them.

In her worse moments, Rose wondered if they were involved because the Doctor felt like he owed her somehow or because of the connection of Arkytior and the Other. But then she'd hear him teasing her about her human habits and grumble when she ribbed him about his inability to change his wardrobe and Rose felt certain that they had fallen in love with each other long before they had known any different.

"Rose," he murmured as he broke the kiss.

Rose smiled as she planted a tiny peck on his nose before pulling away. "Did you get the scanner repaired?"

"Yes, it's now fully compatible with this universe," he said, taking her hand into his and leading her back the way she had come. "So, what did you want to do?"

Rose shrugged. "It's 1963," she said. "What's fun to do in 1963?"

"Nothing much, I'm afraid," he said. "It's the beginning of the Swinging Sixties, so I suppose the Beatles, miniskirts and drugs are in trend," he joked.

Rose gave a reluctant smile at that and bumped his shoulder with hers. "So, explain to me again how we can and can't interfere," she said.

The Doctor gave a sigh. "The Time Lords picked the universe most similar to the main one. So all the same rules apply to it. The only thing that's different about this world…"

"Is that I don't exist in it," finished Rose, feeling her good mood evaporate.

The Doctor frowned. "Rose, you were not born in any other universe but your own. Like me, like the Time Lords, you are the only one in the multiverse," he said sombrely.

Rose's brow furrowed. "So then what's different about this universe?" she asked.

"Jackie and your father don't exist in this universe, Rose," he said gently.

Rose felt the sting of tears at the back of her eyes but she nodded determinedly. "What about universes where they do exist? Wouldn't they have children there?" she asked.

"Perhaps," he said, frowning as he considered it. "But they wouldn't be you."

"So, just me," she murmured to herself.

The Doctor stroked his thumb over their clasped hands. "Rose," he said seriously. "I am very…"

Rose cut him off by covering his mouth with her free hand. "Stop apologising to me," she chided gently. He'd been doing it an awful lot these past three days. "It's not your fault," she added, knowing that they had to clear this up right now. "I don't blame you. I never have and I never will."

The Doctor stared at her with wide eyes as she let her hand from his mouth fall. He had put her through hell, kept things close to his chest until she confronted him, got her trapped in a parallel world away from her mother and her friends, and she did not blame him. He had to tell her and he had to tell her now. "I love you, Rose Tyler," he said, so sincerely that Rose felt her heart positively skip a beat before starting to race.

She waited for the babbling to follow, waited for him to start muttering that he didn't mean it that way or it had just slipped out, but he didn't. He just sounded very happy, and very...in love.

Tears gathered in her eyes as Rose threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss full of love that she felt for him and the unbelievable joy she felt at his admission. "I love you, Doctor," she murmured when she broke the kiss, feeling rather than seeing his lips curve into a smile.

"Don't cry," he murmured as he wiped the tears from her cheek.

Rose giggled as a few more tears escaped her eyes. "No, they're happy tears, I promise," she said.

The Doctor smiled tenderly as he kissed both her cheeks and rubbed his nose against hers. "Come on, let's go back to the TARDIS. We have more than five billion years of Earth's history to explore. Say the time and I'll take you to it," he said.

"Can we go to the Falls of Sona again?" asked Rose, remembering the trip they had taken in the other universe to a bunch of natural hotsprings that had formed after the Earth's rebuilding in the 30th century. It had been after the Nira incident and the first time that Rose had realised that she might be falling in love with the Doctor.

"Your wish is my command, my lady," he said happily as he kissed her forehead and linked their hands together. Rose grinned at him and the two of them started their walk back to the TARDIS.


	30. New Earth: Something Wicked

_Previously_

_"Can we go to the Falls of Sona again?" asked Rose, remembering the trip they had taken in the other universe to a bunch of natural hotsprings that had formed after the Earth's rebuilding in the 30th century. It had been after the Nira incident and the first time that Rose had realised that she was falling in love with the Doctor._

_"Your wish is my command, my lady," he said happily as he kissed her forehead and linked their hands together. Rose grinned at him and the two of them started their walk back to the TARDIS._

Only a few streets away from the flower shop where Fitz was working and where the Doctor and Rose were walking hand in hand, Cassie woke up sweating and screaming. She glanced around her tiny room, hoping and praying that her keepers had not heard her scream.

The house was silent and Cassie breathed a sigh of relief. The sticky heat and the terror of her nightmare had all but driven the thought of any more sleep from her mind. Without a clock in the room, nor any windows, she couldn't be certain if it was night or day.

The shackles around her right wrist that kept her tied to the bed rankled as she tried to get comfortable again. She'd only just found a good position to rest when the familiar sound of someone unbolting the door reached her ears. Terror filling her every nerve, Cassie sat up and drew her knees to her chest protectively.

The sound of footsteps on wooden staircase grew louder and louder until Cassie's door slammed open. Cassie flinched but months of captivity kept her scream from escaping. Dr. Charles did not spare her a glance as he closed the door behind himself and walked over to the chair set at the other end of the room.

Ignoring Cassie as usual, he started checking the bizarre machine assembled in front of him. It beeped and groaned, emitting a low pitched whine occasionally. 

As he kept examining the numbers and symbols on the machine, Cassie felt helpless tears fill her eyes. She'd been a prisoner for months, and every day he would come in and sit in that chair and check that damned machine. It would be an hour until he finished his examinations, when he would get up and leave her alone again. He never spoke to her, never touched her, never even looked at her when she would yell, scream, cry and beg him to let her go.

The only other person Cassie saw was a woman in her late fifties called Hannah. She wore a stiff black dress like a nun but Cassie knew that she was nothing of the sort. Hannah would come in to give her food twice a day and let her use the bathroom. In the early days, Cassie had tried to escape but Hannah always caught her and dragged her back to her room. She was surprisingly strong for such an older woman.

Cassie had been stuck in this hell-hole for months but it felt like years to her. She hadn't seen the sun since the moment she had been snatched after that rather late night rendezvous with Steve from down the road. She didn't actually remember being taken; one minute she had been running home and the next she had woken up shackled to a bed in this tiny room.

She had no idea if she was even in London anymore. For all she knew, she had been taken halfway across the world. At first, she assumed the worst but so far, no one had touched her or done more than keep her locked and shackled in this room. She had tried to ask them what it was they wanted but all she got was a stoic look from Hannah and complete non-reaction from Dr. Charles.

Dr. Charles finished his examination of the machine, and Cassie waited for him to leave but he stayed in his chair, looking at Cassie. The unexpected action scared Cassie but she felt slight hope rise in her chest at the same time. Maybe she was being set free.

"Hannah!" Dr. Charles called, his eyes fixed on Cassie.

Hannah's quick footsteps were heard as she entered Cassie's room. "Yes, Dr. Charles?" she asked in a clipped voice.

"She is ready," said Dr. Charles.

~

Fitz did not have any more customers until it was time to close. He moved mechanically to do the usual tasks before closing, not really focusing on his work. He had promised to meet some mates down at Molly's pub and even if he wasn't going to be playing tonight, he knew it was very likely that Molly would ask him to step in for a while.

He locked up the shop behind him and decided to walk down the few blocks to the pub. His whole life revolved around these blocks, he realised. Home, work, chippy and pub. All his life, Fitz had considered this part of his life to be just a platform until he began his real life. His very own Act Two of life, as he thought of it. Years passed, but he didn't lose that hope.

This year was going to be different, he knew. There was already talk of people saying that 1963 was special. This was going to be his year. He just knew it.

With an extra spring in his step, he sauntered down to the pub. It was still pretty early but he was met by a harried-looking Molly.

"Fitz! Thank god," she said.

"Easy, doll," he said with a chuckle. "When do you want me to play?"

"Around 7 ish? For an hour or so?" she asked beseechingly.

He laughed and nodded. "I'll do it, Molls," he said.

"Thanks, Fitz. You're a lifesaver," said Molly as she gave him a one-armed hug and hurried off to the small office behind the bar.

He checked the time and realised that he had an hour before he was needed on stage so he asked for a pint from Larry at the bar. Fitz glanced around the half-full bar and waved at Henry from the market. He was a decent enough bloke but very clingy as Fitz had found out the hard way. Fortunately, Henry had met some rich prat from Wales and Fitz was finally free. Good thing too, because Fitz hated being tied down.

The hour passed quite quickly and soon enough, Fitz found himself on the stage under a single spotlight, tuning his guitar. The crowd was mostly the popular music favouring kind, as he had gleaned from his discreet observations while sitting at the bar.

"Good evening," he greeted, purposely making his voice more husky, trying not smile when he saw a few girls in the corner booth sit up straighter. "My first song for the evening, Stranger on the Shore."

Fitz played for forty minutes that evening and left amidst disappointed groans and thunderous applause from the audience that adored him. He loved the attention and he knew Molly loved the tips and customers it brought in when they knew Fitz Fortune was playing. He took his final bow and walked towards the bar for a much-needed drink.

"You are really good," he heard a sultry voice whisper in his ear.

He smelled the delicate perfume that seemed a bit posh for this part of town but he smiled regardless as he turned to appraise the blonde woman who had spoken. He didn't know if he should be disappointed or not when he realised that she wasn't the same blonde he had seen this morning, but this one...she was something else. Long legs, curves, curled blonde hair, red lipstick and a dress that would have been considered scandalous a mere year ago. Fitz appraised her like an artist would a particularly delightful piece of art.

"Fitz Fortune," he said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Enchanted."

She smiled. "Cassandra O'Brien," she said. "You can call me Cassie."

~

"So, Falls of Sona," said the Doctor as he approached the console and started entering the coordinates. "July, 3149. How does that sound?"

Rose smiled fondly at him. "Sounds great," she said.

"Splendid," he remarked as he went to pull the lever to release the brakes but stopped when he saw a mauve beacon lit up next to it.

"Something wrong?" asked Rose, recognising his concerned face.

"A mauve alert," he said. "Presence of alien technology."

"I thought there always is alien technology on Earth," said Rose. "You told me that there were crashes and things, not to mention the whole Roswell thing."

"The Roswell thing was completely not my fault," he protested petulantly. "No, this is technology that is being used. Somewhere very close to where we are."

"But we're in London and not exactly in an area prone to spaceship crashes," said Rose. "Unless there's something different in this universe," she added as an afterthought.

He grinned at her and reached under the console to pull a round socket and some wires free. "Come on," he said, melding them together with his sonic screwdriver as he walked towards the doors. "This won't take long, and we'll be on our way to the Falls."

Rose patted the TARDIS in sympathy, having felt the hum change when the Doctor had ruined the circuitry for his makeshift whatever-he-was-making. She followed after him, closing the doors behind her.

~

"Nice place," said Cassie as she looked around Fitz's flat.

"Thanks," said Fitz, not seeing the grimace that passed over her face. "Can I get you a drink?"

Instead of answering, she walked over to him and grabbed him into a kiss. Fitz was slightly startled at her forwardness but he was not the type to look a gift horse in the mouth. He started to take his jacket off when he noticed something strange. Cassie's eyes were open and while not that odd, Fitz realised that away from the dim light of the pub, they looked rather sickly. With a shudder, Fitz recalled his mother's eyes and their cloudiness after prolonged doses of medication.

He broke the kiss and stepped away from her. "Sorry," he muttered at the shocked look on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Fitz fought back his revulsion. Her eyes were getting cloudier with every passing second, the bright blue going a dull, murky grey. "Look sweetie, I'm all for some fun myself but whatever the hell you took is doing a number on your eyes," he said. He knew it was too good to be true. Girls like her did not go home with blokes like him unless they were seriously high on some chems.

She went pale at the mention of her eyes and dashed over to a mirror in Fitz's flat. "My eyes," she said, looking at her reflection in horror. "My beautiful blue eyes!" she cried.

"Whoa, doll! Calm down," he said. These flats had thin walls and he didn't want to get evicted because princess over there couldn't control her voice. "Look, do you want a cigarette?"

She didn't appear to be listening to Fitz. "It wasn't supposed to be this way," she said, touching her face in the mirror. "I waited six months for the perfect body. It's not supposed to look ugly."

"Hey now, I didn't say you were ugly," said Fitz at once since it looked like she was gearing up for a world-class tantrum.

She snapped around to look at him, and Fitz's mouth fell open in horror when he saw the blue of her eyes all but gone. The grey colour seemed to have mixed in with the whites, making her look horrifying. "Jesus, doll. You have to go to the hospital," he said.

She ignored his words and stalked towards him. Fitz had an immediate instinctive response to step back. He remembered the story of the succubi that his mother used to tell him when he was a child. A demonic entity that seduced men and fed on them until they died. In that moment, Fitz truly thought that he was about to killed.

A practical part of his brain pointed out that he could run from her but her terrifying eyes seemed to have locked him in place. She opened her mouth and shouted out a horde of phrases in a language he couldn't understand, and Fitz started to feel faint. She was a demon, he was certain of it now. Fitz was just gearing up to scream for his life when the door to his flat banged open.

A bizarrely dressed man with long curly brown hair entered, followed by the blonde he had seen that afternoon. The man pointed a metallic silver cross at the demon who shrieked loudly. "Now, Rose!" he yelled.

The blonde, Rose, threw what looked like ordinary water from a silver flask, at Cassie who shrieked in pain and started looking for an exit.

Fitz could only watch in horror when Cassie realised that there was no escape and decided to just run through the window to jump out of the flat. It was a sheer drop and Fitz knew that it was impossible to survive.

"She's gone," said the man as he ran to the window and peered out. "We won't be able to catch up with her."

It was all too much for Fitz, who promptly passed out.


	31. New Earth: The Devil You Know

_Previously_

_Fitz could only watch in horror when Cassie realised that there was no escape and decided to just run through the window to jump out of the flat. It was a sheer drop and Fitz knew that it was impossible to survive._

_"She's gone," said the man as he ran to the window and peered out. "We won't be able to catch up with her."_

_It was all too much for Fitz, who promptly passed out._

**Several hours ago**

"We've been going around in circles," said Rose as the Doctor readjusted the tracking device again.

It was the oddest one Rose had seen yet. The Doctor had unfurled the round socket and used the delicate metal to make an old-fashioned cross. There were wires going around them, which held them in place but also connected the circuit.

"The signal keeps changing," he said, starting to sound a bit frustrated too. He was supposed to be taking Rose somewhere to relax and enjoy, not drag her around London in search of an anomalous signal. He realised that they had been searching since that afternoon and the sun had gone down a while ago. He sighed and looked at her apologetically.

"Tell me what exactly we are looking for," she said.

"A possessed person," he said.

"Possessed by what?" asked Rose, her mind immediately jumping to the Mara, before being reminded of demons. She didn't voice it though, because she was certain that demons didn't actually exist.

"That is a good question," he said. They passed by a chippy and he stopped. "Come on, let's go have some chips and get something to drink."

Rose nodded at once, grateful for the break. The chippy was more or less like the hundreds of the sort around the London that Rose remembered. So far, she hadn't seen a glaringly obvious difference to her old universe but if what the Doctor had said was right, then the Time Lords had found the universe most closely compatible to their old one.

The Doctor found them a booth while Rose ordered chips and some fizzy drinks for the two of them. A quick look at her watch told her it was past 7 and she hadn't eaten since breakfast. No wonder she was ravenous. By the time she returned to their table with their drinks and two baskets of chips balanced in her arms, the Doctor had covered the table with what looked like the entire contents of his pockets.

"Should I even ask?" asked Rose, raising her eyebrows as he hastily began to clear up space for her to set down the chips and drinks.

"I'm looking for a flask," he said, plunging his entire arm inside his coat pocket.

Rose noticed the middle-aged woman at the next booth raise her eyebrows at the seemingly impossible action. "Magician," Rose told her as a means for explanation. She turned back to the Doctor who had procured a flask from the depths of his pockets and was holding it up triumphantly. "What do you need that for?" she asked, picking up the vinegar to dunk on her chips.

"Oh, perfect," he said, snatching the bottle out of her hands and emptying it inside the flask.

"Oi! I was about to eat that," she said indignantly. "Why are you putting vinegar in that?"

"Acetic acid acts as a mild skin irritant for post psychological transplant patients," he said, starting to cram the odds and ends back into his pockets.

"Post psycho-what?" asked Rose, trying a chip without the vinegar before making a face and grabbing the bottle from the next table.

"Psychological transplant, or an easier way would be to call it 'possession'," he said, grimacing at the amount of vinegar she was pouring onto her chips. "Mind of one person, the body of another."

"There's technology that can do that?" asked Rose incredulously. "Which idiot came up with that?"

"A very odd human being named Dr. Charles Davy," said the Doctor. "He disappeared shortly after his invention, so he wasn't around to see the destruction his little transplant device caused. The so-called psychograft has since been banned on every civilised world."

"But how come it's here in 1963?" asked Rose.

"Good question," he said. "It will be at least four and a half billion years before it will be invented. That is what worries me."

The two of them ate quietly for a while as they contemplated possible scenarios that would explain such an advanced and futuristic technology being in use. "So your tracking device will be finding the transplant thingy, will it?" she asked, looking at the contraption speculatively.

"No," he said. "It will be tracking the person on whom the psychograft has been used."

**Now**

"He's just fainted," said the Doctor. "Culture shock, that is all."

"I saw him this morning," said Rose as she pressed a cool cloth to Fitz's head. "He works at a flower shop just down the road."

"Did he tell you his name?" asked the Doctor.

"Called himself Fitz Fortune but said it wasn't his real name," she said. Fitz stirred and groaned in pain. "You alright, mate?" she asked him.

"Jesus Christ, my head hurts," he groaned.

"That's cause you fell like a sack of potatoes and hit your head," said Rose as she helped him sit up.

"We have to go," said the Doctor urgently. "Someone's called the police. This might be a bit difficult to explain."

Fitz blinked stupidly at him and then looked between the two of them. "Who the hell are you two?" he asked.

"Oh, our apologies," said the Doctor pleasantly. "I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. Now, Fitz Kreiner, I believe it is time to run."

Fitz barely had any time to react before the Doctor and Rose hauled him to his feet and pulled him along with them. He half-stumbled, half-ran, using two of them to support himself since his legs still felt a bit wobbly and his head hurt like hell. The police were starting to gather near the building, but the Doctor and Rose pulled him towards the back alley which was quite empty.

"We can't stay here. We have to keep moving," said Rose, looking around at the crowd that was starting to gather.

"Right, I've had enough," snapped Fitz, trying to sound angry but his voice came out oddly squeaky. "What the hell was with that demon girl? And who are you two? How did you know my name?"

"All very excellent questions, but we have to keep moving," said the Doctor. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" he asked Fitz.

Fitz stared at him incredulously but nodded dumbly. "Molly's pub," he said. "This way."

~

Cassie slammed the door open as she stomped into the house. Charles emerged from the kitchen and stared at her in horror. "What in the world happened to you?" he asked, taking in her dishevelled and bloodied appearance.

She snarled angrily at him and grabbed his neck in a vice grip. "You said the psychograft was successful," she yelled as he started gasping for breath. "This body started falling apart in one evening!"

"Let him go, Cassie," snapped Hannah, who had run into the room having heard the screams.

"Stay out of it, you bitch," Cassie snarled at Hannah. But she loosened her grip on Charles' neck. "We worked so hard for this and you told me it had worked!"

Charles was wheezing as he tried to control his breathing. "I...thought it had," he said panting. "The girl's body must have been too weak."

Cassie took her hands off his neck and started pacing angrily. "We found the perfect girl. Blonde hair, blue eyes, just six months shy of being eighteen, even with a name similar to mine. We exposed her to a daily resonance pattern of sonic waves to make sure that the psychograft could be permanent," she said. "What are we going to do now? We need a new body."

"At such short notice? It will be hard," said Hannah. "What about the sonic resonations?"

"The sonic resonations are inconsequential after the first transfer," said Charles. "Any body will do, but we have to act fast," he added, looking at Cassie whose body was starting to develop lesions.

"Anyone would do?" asked Cassie contemplatively.

"Yes," said Charles.

"Good," she smirked before advancing towards Hannah.

"No," Hannah gasped. "You can't! Charles, stop her!"

"You've outlived your usefulness, Hannah," said Cassie. "You're old and dry, and really godawful ugly, but beggars can't be choosers. You will do very nicely until I find another one."

"NO! Please, don't!" Hannah screamed as a silvery mist escaped Cassie and shot towards her body.

Cassie's body fell to the floor and Hannah stood up straighter, with a triumphant smile. "Ah," said Cassandra/Hannah. "Not as much fun as that one was," she added, nudging Cassie's body with her toe. "Get rid of it," she snapped at Charles.

"How?" he asked, looking a bit shaken at hearing Cassandra's orders through Hannah's mouth.

She paused at his question before a slow smirk appeared on her face. "Dump her body outside the hovel they call Molly's pub on Mercer Street. The rest will take care of itself."

~

"...and her eyes were white. Like a succubus. I'm telling you, she was a demon!" Fitz rambled on, downing his third glass of sherry.

"Perhaps enough of that," said the Doctor, gently prying the rest of the bottle away from Fitz. He exchanged a look with Rose, before turning back to Fitz. "So, you met her here?"

"Yeah," he said, reaching into his jacket for his pack of cigarettes. "Either of you got a light?" he asked.

"No," said Rose with a grimace. "You really shouldn't smoke, you know. It gives you cancer."

"Give over, doll. As if that's really true," he said, searching his own pockets for some matches.

"Actually it is," she said, narrowing her eyes at his dismissive tone. "Tobacco is bad for your lungs…"

"Rose, perhaps not now," interrupted the Doctor. "Fitz, hold off on that cigarette which is indeed harmful for you, and tell me if you remember anything else about Cassie."

Fitz put the cigarette away unhappily. "She said her full name was Cassandra O'Brien," he said sulkily. "That's about it. We didn't really talk much."

Rose looked at the Doctor who was stroking his chin thoughtfully. "You know her?" she asked.

“No, but that does not mean that it is insignificant," he answered. "However," he added in a slightly more optimistic voice. "The device has picked up her signature, and it will be easier to track her now."

Rose nodded. "Let's go then," she said.

"Steady on," said Fitz, looking at them like they were mad. "You are actually going to go after her?"

"Well, it is sort of what we do," shrugged Rose.

"The question is, do you want to come?" asked the Doctor, a smile playing at his lips.

Fitz was about to scoff and refuse, when he realised that this was looking rather like an episode of The Twilight Zone. He could be one of those handsome, dashing men who would crack the mystery and search out the truth. He nodded quickly and stood up. "Yeah, I'll go."

"Splendid," said the Doctor as the three of them left Molly's pub, Fitz waving gratefully at Molly as they passed. They emerged out into the cooling night air and glanced around. The street was all but deserted, except for a few stragglers swaying drunkenly around.

"Don't worry," Fitz told Rose when she glanced around a bit apprehensively. "I'll protect you."

Rose stared at him and gave an unlady-like snort. "Does it look like I need protecting?" she asked, raising her eyebrows as if daring him to contradict her.

"Got it," interrupted the Doctor, looking up from the tracking device. "This way, come on."

Rose shook her head at Fitz and picked up her pace to follow the Doctor, only to run into him when he stopped in the alley behind the pub. "What is it?" she asked, the darkness making it harder for her to see.

"Hang on," said Fitz, pulling out a matchbox from his jacket and lighting a match. "Jesus Christ!" he yelled, dropping the match when he saw what the Doctor was bending over. "Is that who I think it is?" he asked, his voice going high with fright.

"I am afraid so," said the Doctor. "The body was too weak to sustain the transplant, even if someone made very sure to prepare her the best way they could." He sounded furious and Fitz flinched as a cold shiver passed down his spine.

"There's someone there," said Rose suddenly, looking further down the alley. Before either the Doctor or Fitz could stop her, she was off running in that direction.

"Rose!" called the Doctor, looking up from his examination of Cassie's body.

"I'll go after him," they heard her reply faintly before she jumped over the railing and landed on the other side of the street. The Doctor gritted his teeth as he turned to Fitz. "Stay here, I'll go after her," he said.

"No way," said Fitz at once. "I ain't waiting with a dead body. Nuh-uh."

"Fine, come along then," said the Doctor as they started running in the direction that Rose had gone. Fitz was only too happy to get away from the body. But by the time they had jumped over the railing and come out on the other side, Rose was nowhere to be seen.

~

Rose crouched in the shadows as she watched the thin, grey-haired man enter one of the houses on the quiet street. She had made sure that he hadn't seen her while she had been tailing him all the way from the pub alley.

She knew that the Doctor would be furious at her for running away but this was their only chance to find the people responsible for doing that to the poor girl lying dead in that alley. Rose had to swallow back her revulsion as she remembered the cloudy eyes and the red lesions on her skin, not to mention the way she had been thrown away like trash in a urine-soaked alley.

Waiting for a few minutes, she gathered her wits about her and came up with a plan. She had to see who that man was and what they had in that house. If that transplant device was used recently, it was very likely that it was still there. Deciding to err on the side of caution, she sent off the address to the Doctor on the phone she had insisted that he needed to have ever since they had been in this universe. She emerged from the shadows and quickly patted her hair down as she went over to the house and knocked softly.

The door was opened by a woman in her late-fifties, wearing an old-fashioned black dress. 

"Good evening," said Rose with her most charming smile. "I am sorry to bother you but I appear to be lost. Would you happen to have a phone that I could use?"

The woman appraised her quietly before a wide smile appeared on her face. "But of course, my dear," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Such a beautiful girl, all alone at a time like this. Come in, come in. I would be delighted to help."


	32. New Earth: Rapture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Stattenheim remote control appeared in the story "The Two Doctors".

_Previously_

_The door was opened by a woman in her late-fifties, wearing an old-fashioned black dress._

_"Good evening," said Rose with her most charming smile. "I am sorry to have bothered you but I appear to be lost. Would you happen to have a phone that I could use?"_

_The woman appraised her quietly before a wide smile appeared on her face. "But of course, my dear," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Such a beautiful girl, all alone at a time like this. Come in, come in. I would be delighted to help."_

"Jesus, she must be fast," said Fitz as he and the Doctor looked around the empty street. "Any idea where she would have gone?"

The Doctor was about to say no when something in his pocket chimed. Feeling slightly relieved, he took out the phone that Rose had made him carry and read the address she had sent him. 

"You know this address?" he asked, showing the phone to Fitz.

"Yeah, it's just down there," he said, pointing vaguely in the right direction. "What the hell is that thing?"

"It's a phone," said the Doctor as he started running down the way he had pointed.

Fitz followed him quickly, trying to wrap his mind around the idea. "A phone? That small? And how does it send messages?"

"Yes, a phone, yes, it is that small, and yes, you can send messages using it. Actually you can do a lot more but Rose insisted on having a phone from her time rather than the advanced ones from even further into the future," he said.

Fitz was certain that either the Doctor was completely insane, or time travel was real. He knew which one he preferred.

"Here we are," said the Doctor. "Number 17. Over there."

"Hang about, we can't just knock on the door, can we?" he asked.

"Why not?" asked the Doctor. "It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do."

Fitz was starting to rethink his previous assumption about the Doctor's sanity. Maybe he really was just a nutter. A nutter who was currently knocking on the door of that house. Alright then, thought Fitz as he followed the Doctor. The door remained closed though, even after the Doctor knocked again. Getting impatient, he drew a thin, metallic tube from his pocket that glowed blue at the end. It made a whirring noise when he held it at the lock and the door opened slowly.

"What is that?" Fitz asked in fascination.

"Sonic screwdriver," answered the Doctor as he ran inside the house.

Fitz wanted to know more but he went pale when he saw a mangled body of an old man lying in the foyer of the house. It looked like his neck had been snapped, leaving his head at an odd angle. At first, Fitz was too horrified to realise that there was someone else there too. Someone whose muted sobbing he could hear.

The Doctor immediately sought out the other person, who was a very weak-looking woman in a black dress. She let out a wail of sorrow when she saw the Doctor and Fitz and pointed at the body of the man. "She made me," she sobbed. "I didn't want to. She used my body."

"Where is Rose? What have you done to her?" demanded the Doctor sharply.

"Rose? Who is Rose? I'm Hannah," she said.

"Rose, the blonde girl. I know she was here," said the Doctor furiously. "Where is she?"

"Cassandra...Cassandra took her," she said between heaving sobs.

"Don't lie to me," snapped the Doctor. "Her body was dumped in the alley. Tell me where Rose is right now!"

"That was Cassidy Kemp," said Hannah, seemingly falling into a numb state. "Cassandra chose her because she looked like her when she was younger and their similarity of names."

"Where's Cassandra taken Rose?" asked the Doctor, forcing himself to be calmer.

"She was saying that she was going to return home," said Hannah in a monotone, her eyes starting to lose their focus.

"Hannah, look at me," said the Doctor sharply and her eyes snapped to his. "Where is home for Cassandra?" he asked calmly.

"The year 5 billion," she said. "The crude vortex manipulator we used burnt out by the time we got here. We thought we were trapped for certain. But Cassandra, she made Charles build a psychograft so she could keep living."

"Charles? Dr. Charles Davy?" he asked.

Hannah nodded. "He was a brilliant man. I was in love with him for almost twenty years, you know. And she made me snap his neck," she started to sob again.

The Doctor patted her shoulder comfortingly. "It will be alright," he said. "After I've dealt with Cassandra, I'll take you home."

"No need," she said and smiled suddenly. "The poison will start working anytime now."

The Doctor's eyes went wide. "No!" he said, reaching into his jacket for the emergency medical supplies. Hannah started giggling hysterically, before gasping loudly and collapsing. The Doctor checked her pulse and closed his eyes in remorse.

"Is she…?" Fitz asked, looking slightly green himself.

"Yes," said the Doctor shortly. "No more," he declared. "There shall be no more death."

~

"This is just spectacular," purred Rose/Cassandra as she ran her fingers over the TARDIS console. "Such beautiful technology."

She read the coordinates that had been entered into the navigation system and raised her eyebrows. 30th century wasn't a bad time in history. Much better than the 20th century. They were practically barbaric apes now. She felt a sharp pain through her head and groaned.

"Stop fighting, you chav," she snarled angrily.

The pain seemed to increase before Cassandra focused her energy on compressing Rose Tyler's consciousness even further. She was already weakened and Cassandra did not expect her to survive for more than a few hours. It didn't matter as long as the body stayed as it was. 

Perhaps she would go to the 30th century after all, if only to find an actual natural blonde who had blue eyes instead of the one she was stuck with now.

Accessing the surface memories of Rose Tyler, Cassandra started the dematerialisation sequence of the TARDIS. The TARDIS console lit up and the rotor jumped to life, but it was sluggish as if the TARDIS was actively fighting her attempts to pilot.

"Come on, you stupid junk," she snapped at the console. "I know you are sentient, so quit acting like a cow."

The rotor became even slower at that and she growled in frustration. "Don't make me hurt you," she threatened. The rotor jumped to life and Cassandra's smile became triumphant until it stopped again and she heard the door open behind her.

"Oh, it's you," she said dispassionately when she saw the Doctor and Fitz enter. "How did you manage that?"

"Stattenheim remote control," said the Doctor, showing her a short, silver rod. "Recently, a lot of people have tried to meddle with the controls of my TARDIS, forcing me to take drastic measures."

"Hmm," she said. "And why did you bring the James Dean wannabe with you?"

"The name's Fitz," he snapped angrily. Even though it was Rose's body, she was holding herself differently and her accent was gone to give way to a posh, nasally voice.

"Whatever," she said. "Well, now that you are here, I would appreciate a quick lift back home, if you'd please."

"Get out of her," said the Doctor in a deadly calm.

"You know I'm not going to do that," she said as she sauntered over to him. "This is a rather beautiful body. I know you've thought so too," she added, running a hand over his chest.

He grabbed her wrist. "Give her back to me," he said, fixing her with a cold glare.

She rolled her eyes. "Actually, you know what, this is pointless. You want her back, well, you can't have her. I'm going to make sure of that," she said and winked at him before her eyes rolled upwards and she fainted.

~

While Cassandra had been prancing inside in her body, Rose had been fighting tooth and nail to regain control of her own mind. It was more difficult and Rose was reminded of being possessed by the Mara. But unlike that time, she was feeling much more in control. If she focused hard enough, she could give Cassandra a headache, enough to break her concentration at the very least.

She heard her threaten the Doctor but didn't understand why she suddenly fainted. Then she was there, in Rose's mind, stronger than ever. She looked like a flat piece of skin with eyes and lips being the only distinguishable features that she possessed.

"So, we meet properly, Rose Tyler," she said.

"Get out of me," snapped Rose.

"Blah blah blah, same thing over and over again," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not here to get out. I'm here to kill you."

"You'll be killing yourself too," said Rose, trying to ignore the trickle of fear she felt.

Cassandra smiled. "Ooh, you're scared. Now we're having fun at last," she sounded delighted. "I won't be killing myself. You would have been compressed to death soon enough but since your Doctor friend is being adamant, I thought it to be a priority to kill you at once. Then the body would be free to occupy at last. Don't say I'm not compassionate."

"You call that compassionate?" snarled Rose angrily. "You're nothing more than a leech, Cassandra O'Brien."

"Enough of this," she said in a bored voice. "Time to die, Rose Tyler."

~

"What happened to her?" asked Fitz.

"No, no, no," said the Doctor, frantically. "She will kill her."

"Can't we stop the psychotic bitch?" asked Fitz frantically.

The Doctor seemed to be steeling himself for something. He knew that there was a simple way out of this but it would require him to do something that he had avoided doing so far. But this is Rose, his mind argued. The woman he cared very deeply for, and loved with all his hearts. 

Which was also why he was hesitating. It was always difficult to keep the distance when it came to a relationship like his and Rose's.

Hands trembling, he lowered her on the ground until she was lying down. A thousand years of his lives swirled and coalesced as he tried to think of any other way out. He knew there was none and he could see her starting to tremble. Cassandra was compressing her to death. His pink and yellow human, whom he had only just been able to tell how much he loved her. He refused to lose her. Not now, not ever.

He closed his eyes and touched his fingers to her temple, gently entered her mind. The gold of her mind was getting murkier due to Cassandra's presence but as soon as his mind touched hers, she started fighting right back. The gold became brighter and brighter until the murkiness was all but non existent. Cassandra was screaming in pain, but as an ancient melody rang through both their minds, the Doctor and Rose did not notice it as Cassandra died.

Rose awoke with a gasp and saw the Doctor's concerned face above her, his hands still cradling her face. He hugged her tightly at once, and pressed one, two, three kisses to her lips before hugging her again. Rose held on to him just as tightly, feeling like she couldn't bear to let him go.

Fitz cleared his throat awkwardly and the two of them broke away from their embrace slowly. 

The Doctor stood up and helped Rose to her feet. "Right, we should get you home Fitz," said the Doctor, still keeping his eyes fixed on Rose.

"Hey, it's alright, I can walk back," said Fitz, guessing that they needed to sort whatever the hell had just happened. "It was nice meeting you two." He looked around the cavernous TARDIS that had just been a Police Box from the outside, and shook his head. "Whoever you two are," he added.

"It's no bother at all," said the Doctor, finally tearing his eyes away from Rose to start the dematerialisation sequence that would take them near Fitz's house. The landing went smoothly and Fitz watched open-mouthed as they arrived in the alley behind his building.

"What is this thing?" he asked in wonder.

"TARDIS," answered Rose, patting the console gently. "It stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"You two travel through time?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, we do," said the Doctor.

Fitz nodded slowly, as if unsure if he should believe them or not. He smiled uncertainly at them as he opened the doors, only to shut them again quickly.

"Something wrong?" asked the Doctor.

"Coppers standing near my building," he said.

"I'll check what it's about," Rose offered as she went outside the TARDIS. She returned only a few minutes later, looking at Fitz apologetically. "They are looking for you. They think you kidnapped and murdered Cassidy Kemp."

"What?" he asked, aghast.

"A girl matching her description jumped out of your flat and later turned up dead near your favourite pub. Not exactly a huge leap to make," she said.

Fitz sat down on the stairs near the TARDIS door, clutching his head in his hands. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"Stay here," offered the Doctor.

Fitz looked up at him, hardly daring to believe it. "What?"

"Stay here, travel in time," said the Doctor with a smile. "If you want, of course."

"Yeah," he said quickly, as if he thought that they'd change their minds if he took too long to make a decision.

The Doctor nodded and turned to Rose who was looking a little uncertain at Fitz's enthusiasm. 

"Come on," she said to Fitz, shaking her head to clear her line of thought. "I'll show you to your room."

"I've got a room?" he asked in disbelief as he let Rose lead him down the corridor.

"The TARDIS will have made one by now, I think," she said and turned back to the Doctor, who nodded at them to go along.

Rose and Fitz disappeared down the corridor and the Doctor let his smile slip. Stupid, selfish Time Lord, he chastised himself. He'd had no right forming a bond with Rose without her permission and certainly not in this way. He had always managed to keep that aspect of himself private and he'd only just gained the courage to tell her he loved her. They had been nowhere ready for a bond but he had been stupid and gone ahead and done it. It was still incomplete but the foundations had been laid in.

"Hey," he heard and he looked up to see Rose coming back into the console room.

"Hello," he said, smiling a little. "Did you find Fitz's room?"

"Yes, he is excited to decorate it," she said with a chuckle. "The TARDIS seems to really like him. She's warmed up to him better than she did with Rory in the beginning."

"Well, she does see much more than either of us," he said. "Perhaps there is something extraordinary about our friend after all."

Rose nodded. "She still won't let him smoke though," she said as she walked up to the Doctor. "He was grumbling like anything."

"He will get over it," he said. "You must be tired," he said quickly when she leaned in for a kiss.

She looked a bit surprised but nodded. "Yeah, I was just gonna ask when you're coming to bed," she said.

"Oh, I don't think I'm all that sleepy," he said at once. "I have to go back to the house and make sure that the psychograft is dismantled before the authorities discover it."

"What about Hannah and Dr. Charles?" asked Rose in concern.

The Doctor shook his head in remorse. "There is nothing we can do for those poor souls," he said.

Rose searched his eyes. "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

"No," he said immediately, plastering a smile on his face. "You should get some rest."

Rose nodded, looking a bit confused at his unusually cautious tone. "Right, I'll turn in then," she said. "You okay though?"

"Yes," he said and because he couldn't help it, he kissed her softly. "Goodnight, Rose."

She gave him a small smile and the Doctor kept his smile fixed, trying to seem as confident as he was not. Rose went down the corridor to their room and the Doctor let his smile drop again.

The incomplete bond started to hurt him but he tamped the pain down. His pain was not that important, he just had to get used to it.


	33. Ghosts of Oldbank: Rift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This adventure is loosely based on the Eighth Doctor audio story 'Caerdroia'.

Rose swirled the straw in her pink and yellow drink, trying not to scream in frustration. It had been a week; a WEEK. A whole bloody week since she and the Doctor had slept in the same bed and spent more than a few minutes alone together.

Immediately following the day after their ordeal with Cassandra, the Doctor had announced that since it was almost Rose's 22nd birthday in relative time, they would be spending it in 75th century Monte Carlo. Rose had been excited, and her apprehension at his refusal to come to bed the previous night had all but evaporated. Fitz was ecstatic at the chance of gambling in a casino in the future.

However, upon landing in Monte Carlo, the Doctor had bet Fitz that he would win more money in the casino than Fitz. They had shaken on it and had headed to the casino with a hundred credits each. The competition was to last a week and the person with the most money at the end would win. Rose was the impartial judge since she wasn't much of a gambler.

Every day, the Doctor and Fitz would spend their time gambling for hours while Rose visited various shops, spas and shows in Monte Carlo. She even managed to drag them both to a few of those. But the Doctor somehow always managed to bring Fitz with them, and after the third time that he did it, Rose realised that something was definitely up.

The night before, she had told him that she loved him. They hadn't said it since the first time nearly a week ago. The Doctor had looked very startled at that and had kissed her hastily, and then tried to distract her with the history of the opera they had just seen. Rose was definitely worried.

Today was their last day in Monte Carlo and the day of Rose's birthday. She had woken up to a big bunch of pink roses and a beautiful pair of silver earrings. The Doctor had left her a note wishing her a happy birthday and telling her he would be gambling the whole day to make sure he beat Fitz in their bet. She met Fitz for breakfast, who promised her that he would get her a gift after he had won the bet with the Doctor. He had then toddled off to the casino.

Rose had already been missing her mum and with the Doctor being the aloof git that he was being, she had hit the bar right after breakfast. It was only her first drink but she was already bored of it. They had spent her last birthday at a casino as well but only Rory had been gambling at the time, and the Doctor and Rose had spent their time watching shows and stopping a minor alien incursion. She missed that, she realised. She missed the Doctor. Whatever it was, she had to find out what was bugging him so much. She couldn't take the aloofness and the rift between them any longer.

With a determined sigh, she downed her drink and left the bar. She was about to head to the casino when she saw the Doctor and Fitz returning. Judging from their faces, the Doctor had won.

"I bet my whole stack on black," said Fitz sulkily, as soon as he saw Rose.

"Let me guess, it fell on red," she said sympathetically.

Fitz groaned as the Doctor laughed. "Prudent gambling, Fitz," said the Doctor, clapping his shoulder. "You will learn."

"So, what are we doing for the rest of the day?" asked Rose.

"It's your day, doll," shrugged Fitz. "Sorry about the present though."

"It's okay," she said, waving it away. She wasn't too invested in gifts, and it was the thought that counted. "Are we staying here or going somewhere else?"

"You choose," said the Doctor. "As Fitz said, it is your day and you get to choose."

She forced a smile at that. _I just want us to go back to being us_ , she wanted to scream but some part of her wanted her to just enjoy her birthday and worry about the Doctor being a git later. It wasn't everyday that you turned 22, even if you lived in a time machine.

"I'm all for going somewhere else," she said with a shrug. "I think I've had enough of Monte Carlo. Will the randomiser still work?" she asked the Doctor.

"Of course," he said. "Come along, you two. Back to the TARDIS."

~

"So, what's the randomiser?" asked Fitz once they were back on the TARDIS.

"We spin it and the TARDIS lands us whenever it stops," said the Doctor. "Do you want to spin it, Rose? It's your birthday after all."

Rose nodded and spun the randomiser, hoping that the TARDIS would land them somewhere nice where she could actually get the Doctor to open up a bit. The randomiser stopped and the Doctor finished the rest of the landing sequence as they arrived at their destination.

"So, where are we?" asked Fitz eagerly.

"21st century, France," said the Doctor, looking at the coordinates.

Rose raised her eyebrows at the destination but noted with relief that she didn't have to change her clothes. The jeans, sky blue jumper and her leather jacket would be just fine.

"21st century. Isn't that where you're from, Rose?" asked Fitz.

"A bit ahead of Rose's time, I'm afraid," said the Doctor. "It's 2014. November, if I am guessing correctly."

"Right then," said Rose. "Let's go outside."

Without waiting for them to respond, she opened the doors and stepped outside. It was nighttime, and they had landed just outside the gates of an old abandoned castle. It was a chilly night and there were overgrown weeds and dead trees all around them. It didn't seem like a there was a living soul within miles of them.

"Charming place," said Fitz as he emerged after Rose. "Any idea what it is?"

"Oldbank," said Rose, pointing to the brass plaque that was falling apart.

"Not sure about the bank part but this is definitely old," said Fitz.

"Ah, do you want to try again, Rose?" asked the Doctor as he took in their dreary surroundings.

"No," she said, still looking at the castle in the distance. "I think we should go exploring."

"You're joking right, doll?" asked Fitz and even the Doctor looked surprised. "That looks like it might actually be haunted."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, if you two are going to chicken out…"

"Fine," said the Doctor, looking a bit concerned at her odd request but deciding to humour her since it was her birthday. "We'll need torches," he said, rifling through his pockets and tossing them both a small silver torch each. "Let's go explore."

The three of them opened the rusty, creaking gates and tried not to shiver at the echo it made in the silence. Not even insects seemed to live there, it was that quiet. They walked up the path covered with undergrowth from unknown vines and arrived at the massive, old door. It was almost falling apart and it only took a single push from the three of them for it to swing open.

The inside was quite dark and dusty. They switched their torches on as they looked around the main foyer. There was a grand staircase in front of them and the stairs were in surprisingly good condition despite the thick layer of dust. There were several doors leading to different part of the castle all around the stairwell, and it looked like the inside was definitely in better shape than the outside.

"So, where do you want to start?" asked the Doctor.

"I vote for going back to the TARDIS," said Fitz plainly. "This place is giving me the shivers."

"Let's try over there," said Rose, pointing to the door on their immediate right. They started to walk towards it, only to hear a small, low whistle.

"Christ! What was that?" asked Fitz in a whisper.

"Must have been the wind," said the Doctor, though he did glance around suspiciously.

"Look at this," said Rose, shining her torch on the door that they had been about to go through. The French words shimmered into English. "The Phantasm," she read. "Looks like it's been scratched by someone's nails."

The whistling sound repeated again, closer to them this time. Fitz jumped violently and clutched Rose's arm. "We should really go back," he said.

A small, childish giggle followed the whistling sound as it grew fainter and fainter as if someone was running away from them. "That is not the wind," said Rose, feeling a sense of thrill despite the chills she was getting.

"This place is haunted," said Fitz. "We should be getting out of here."

"Nonsense," said the Doctor firmly. "I do not believe in ghosts. There is always an explanation. Come along, the giggle went this way."

He led the way through the door with the scratched words. It opened into an ordinary hallway with rows of doors on either side. The closest ajar door led to a study with an old chandelier and dusty carpet. All the furniture was covered with white, muslin sheets. There was a high window that looked over the gloomy grounds behind the castle.

The sound of tiny chiming bells rang from behind them and they turned around sharply, only to find that there was nothing there. The giggle sounded again, before a female voice started humming the chords to Cliff Richard's Theme for a Dream.

"The ghost knows Cliff Richard?" asked Fitz incredulously.

"Daddy!" The shout was louder and clearer than anything they had heard so far. It was followed by the sound of someone playing David Bowie's Life on Mars on the piano.

"That's it," snapped Fitz. "I'm out of here. Whatever that thing is playing is weird and I'm done."

"Stop freaking out, Fitz," said Rose. "It's just David Bowie. Trust me, people will be going crazy for him in the future."

"This is fascinating," said the Doctor, scanning the air around them with his sonic screwdriver. "There is no one else here except us."

"What about the noises though?" asked Rose.

"They're ghosts!" he answered excitedly.

"I thought you said ghosts weren't real," said Fitz, looking around apprehensively.

"Well technically, ghosts are imprints of the dead but these ghosts, they are alive," said the Doctor.

"Alive ghosts?" asked Rose, raising her eyebrows incredulously.

"No, no, no," said the Doctor with a laugh. "The people that these ghosts belong to, are still alive. They aren't here, of course," he added to the alarmed looks from his companions. "But they might have passed through here over the years and somehow, an imprint of them got stuck in this castle. I wonder how it happened," he mused.

"Uh, I don't know if you two have noticed," interrupted Fitz. "But the sounds have all stopped."

"So they have," said the Doctor. "Well, nothing here to see. We should explore the rest of the place."

He walked over to the door, only to have it slam shut just as he reached it. In the dungeons of the castle, the Phantasm opened his eyes slowly. "Ah, yes. Finally," it hissed.

Back in the room, even the Doctor's sonic screwdriver would not open the door. "The window!" Rose pointed. Fitz tugged on the window handle to open it, but it seemed to have been sealed shut, just like the door. Somehow, the window panes had also acquired a dark tint that had not been there before.

The room felt like it was being pressurised as a small green glow began to rise in the room. Fitz and Rose screamed, the pressure getting too intense for their human bodies. Just as suddenly as it had happened, it stopped and the glow flashed a brilliant green before the room went back to normal again.

Rose fumbled around blindly, spots dancing in front of her eyes. Her hand encountered a velvet sleeve and she grabbed it. "Doctor?"

There came a strange echo as he replied with a “Yes?” 

Rose blinked to clear her vision and saw Fitz staring open-mouthed in front of him. She followed his gaze and her jaw dropped.

There were three identical Doctors in front of them.


	34. Ghosts of Oldbank: The Three Doctors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The horses and men line that Rose quotes is from an old NCIS episode.

_Previously_

_The room felt like it was being pressurised as a small green glow began to rise in the room. Fitz and Rose screamed, the pressure getting too intense for their human bodies. Just as suddenly it had happened, it stopped and the glow flashed a brilliant green before the room went back to normal again._

_Rose fumbled around blindly, spots dancing in front of her eyes. Her hand encountered a velvet sleeve and she grabbed it. "Doctor?"_

_There came a strange echo as he replied with a “Yes?”_

_Rose blinked to clear her vision and saw Fitz staring open-mouthed in front of him. She followed his gaze and her jaw dropped._

_There were three identical Doctors in front of them._

"Tell me I'm seeing in threes," said Rose, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"One of you," said Fitz, pointing at her while his eyes stayed fixed on the three Doctors. "One of me," he pointed at himself. "Three of the Doctor," he finished, pointing at them.

"Oh dear," said the one whose sleeve Rose was holding onto. "Well, this is something that doesn't happen everyday."

"The moon is quite pretty," said the one closest to Fitz, gazing out of the window with a dreamy expression on his face.

"It was a spectral beam projected into a sealed chamber," snapped the third Doctor gruffly, looking thoroughly angry for some reason.

"Yes," agreed the one near Rose, his voice more or less like himself rather than the gruff tones of the third one and the dreamy tone of the other one.

"Clearly, I got the brains," snapped the gruff one. "That one got the brain damage," he pointed at the one who was currently admiring the curtains. "You, what did you get?" he asked the one near Rose.

"The manners," he answered calmly.

"Can someone explain what the hell is going on?" demanded Fitz, his voice going slightly squeaky.

"Oh try and keep up!" snapped the grumpy Doctor as he rattled the door knob angrily.

"Doctor, what happened?" asked Rose, looking at the one near her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the grumpy Doctor glare at her for some reason.

"Well," answered the calmer Doctor. "What we've been experiencing were spectres of people who have passed through these hallways over the years. Human beings, on principle, are very simple in terms of their dimensional existence…"

"A Time Lord, on the other hand, is much more complex and multifaceted," finished the grumpy Doctor in a tone that was decidedly bordering on supercilious.

"Somehow the instruments must have identified my bio-signature and activated the beam," said the calm Doctor.

"Did you know that these curtains match the exact shade of blue on the painting of the Third Empress of the Lost Moon of Poosh?" interrupted the dreamy Doctor.

Rose and Fitz stared at each other and back at the Doctors with identical looks of disbelief on their faces. Then, to everyone's enormous surprise, Rose started laughing. "Oh my god," she gasped through her laughter. "The beam thingy split you according to your different personalities."

"What?" snapped the grumpy Doctor, looking at her like she had just dribbled on her shirt.

Rose ignored him and looked at the calm Doctor next to her who was frowning thoughtfully. "Think about it," she told him. "This is you when you are you, that is you when you are, you know, a bit distracted," she said, nodding towards the Doctor next to Fitz who had found a yo-yo in his pocket and was performing a series of very impressive tricks with it. "And that," she began, looking at the grumpy Doctor who shot her a glare. "That is you when you are being a moody git," she finished, glaring right back at him.

"Excuse me," began the grumpy Doctor, starting to advance on her angrily only to have Fitz interrupt.

"You mean this is actually normal?" demanded Fitz. "And what the hell is a Time Lord?"

"It's what my people are called," said the grumpy Doctor, directing a 'I think you're a stupid ape' look at Fitz. "You didn't think that everyone had a time machine that was bigger on the inside, did you?"

Fitz flushed but Rose came to his defence. "How is he supposed to know if we didn't tell him?" she snapped at the grumpy Doctor who glared at her and started fiddling with the door knob again. "And no, Fitz. This is the first time this has happened. So," she said, turning to the calm Doctor. "How do we fix it?"

"Fix?" he asked, as if she had pulled him away from another line of thought.

"Yeah, fix," agreed Fitz. "How do we put humpty dumpty back together again?"

"They never managed to put humpty dumpty back together again," said the dreamy Doctor mournfully. "It was tragic."

"That's 'cos the king only had horses and men," quoted Rose cheekily, shooting him a smile that had him giggling. Rose was surprised at how happy that laugh sounded.

"There has to be a way to reverse this," said the grumpy Doctor, casting a disdainful look towards his giggling self. "We have to find the instruments that projected that beam. It has to be in this castle somewhere."

"Yes," nodded the calm Doctor. "I think it would be best if we split up. That way we shall cover more ground."

"You think that's a good idea, Doctor?" asked Rose uncertainly.

"Yes," answered the grumpy Doctor, throwing her a look that implied he thought her question was rather useless.

Rose bristled at the look but Fitz intervened with a question of his own. "How do we keep track of the three of you? You can't all be the Doctor."

The dreamy Doctor gave a high giggle. "Why not? It is not often I get to call myself the Doctor, short of introducing myself," he said, sounding quite excited. "It will be so exciting, wouldn't it, Doctor and Doctor?" he asked his other two selves, both of whom ignored him.

"No, it's confusing," Fitz told him. "You can be Tigger, and the grumpy one can be Eeyore."

"Don't be silly, Fitz," said Rose, though her lips twitched at the nicknames. "This is the Doctor," she said, pointing to the calm one. "The one next to you is...Eccentric Doctor, and that one can be the Sulky Doctor," she added, nodding towards the grumpy one.

"Hmph," said the Sulky Doctor as he finally got the door open. Without a backward glance at anyone else, he left the study.

The others followed him quickly and found themselves back in the foyer. "Well, I think I shall take the lower levels," said the Doctor. "Fitz and you take the gardens and the yard," he told the Eccentric Doctor. "You and Rose could explore the top floors," he added, looking at the Sulky one.

Rose looked unhappy at having to go with the moody git but she refrained from showing her displeasure, though the Sulky Doctor did pick up that she was less than happy at the arrangement. "We shall meet back here in 2 hours," said the Sulky Doctor. "Be on the lookout for anything that might seem out of place, and for goodness sake, watch your backs."

With that grim pronouncement, he started walking up the stairway. Rose jogged after him, while the Eccentric Doctor and Fitz left the castle to go out into the gardens. With a determined nod to himself, the Doctor started exploring the various rooms on the ground floor.

~

"So, why can't we just go back to the TARDIS?" asked Fitz as they navigated the undergrowth.

"Too risky," said the Eccentric Doctor, stopping to admire an old, and completely dry fountain. He jumped inside quickly, the dry leaves crunching under his feet as he walked all around the round fountain a few times. "Oh," he said in surprise. "This is making me giddy."

"Maybe you shouldn't circle it then," said Fitz, torn between amusement and being weirded out. 

He was ashamed to admit it, but it honestly hadn't occurred to him that the Doctor was an alien. Now that he knew different, he felt a bit foolish. It wasn't like the future would have time machines like the TARDIS.

The Doctor stopped circling the fountain and jumped out again. "This one time, Nyssa and I were on Ganymede Delta and there was a fountain full of honey. I wanted to jump in, you know, just to see what it felt like. But I didn't. I can't remember why. It would have been fun," he said, scratching the top of his head as if genuinely thinking about it.

"Who's Nyssa?" asked Fitz curiously.

"Did you see that?" he asked suddenly, looking over Fitz's shoulder. Before Fitz had a chance to turn around and look, the Doctor had taken off running. With a groan, Fitz followed him.

The Doctor darted through the dead trunks and the overgrown foliage with a speed and grace that seemed to defy the laws of physics, and Fitz was nearly cursing by the time he found the Doctor again. He was kneeling, peering at the small body of water in the ground. Fitz was about to grumble about him running off like that, when he noticed that the body of water was no more than six feet in diameter, but the water inside was clear as a crystal.

"What the hell?" he mumbled, kneeling next to it like the Doctor.

"Hmm," said the Doctor as he picked up a few rocks and dropped them into it. The water rippled but the rocks seemed to disappear. The water stayed clear as ever. "This is marvellous!" cried the Doctor in delight. "It's like the hole that Alice disappeared into. I warned her, but she never did listen. Rabbit holes are not always reliable, you know. I've been down a few of them myself."

Fitz nodded uncertainly, not sure if his ramblings were true or just tall tales. "Where do you think it leads?" he asked. The other Doctor, the one who seemed perpetually angry for some reason, had told them to be on the lookout for anything that didn't fit. Fitz was sure that a small pool of water with water as clear as this in the midst of dead vegetation, certainly qualified as being out of place.

"Only one way to find out," said the Doctor with an excited grin. Before Fitz could stop him, he dived head first into the pool.

~

"Nothing here either," said Rose, shutting the door. So far, they'd got through several different hallways and even more rooms, but they had found nothing. The Doctor hadn't said a word, short of snapping at her when she paused to admire some of the paintings or rooms.

"Yes, I know. I saw it too," he snapped, stalking off towards the next room.

Rose glared at his back, her temper simmering under the surface. One more snide remark, and she was going to push him down the stairs. Lost in her angry thoughts, she bumped into his back when he stood in the doorway of the next room.

"Watch it, will you?" he snapped at her.

Rose's patience snapped. "That is it!" she said angrily, rounding on him. "I have had it up to here with your snappish, rude and frankly condescending attitude. I don't know what your problem is, and honestly, I don't even care right now. So you can either button it up or we can go our separate ways."

He looked furious, and Rose had never seen the Doctor so angry at her before. But she refused to back down, staring at him stubbornly. "You have had it?" he demanded. "What about me? I have to put up with your whining attitude and your insistence at stopping in these rooms to look at dusty old paintings. You know what I don't understand, Rose Tyler?" he asked, advancing on her. "How my other two selves put up with YOU!"

Stung, Rose stumbled back, his words hurting more than she would have thought. Tears pricked her eyes but she refused to give him the satisfaction. "Fine then," she said, her voice surprisingly steady, considering how close to tears she was. "I'll get out of your hair."

She turned around and stomped away, not stopping to see his reaction. She heard footsteps behind her and she increased her pace, wanting to get away from him as fast as possible. She rounded the corner into one of the unexplored hallways, this one looking more dilapidated than the rest of the castle.

"Rose!" she heard him call but Rose broke out into a run, ignoring his calls to stop. The wood flooring creaked under her feet as she ran. In her determination to get away from the Doctor, she missed the especially creaky part of the hallway floor. It gave out under her feet and Rose screamed, scrambling to hold onto something to stop herself from plummeting to the ground nearly twenty feet below her. Her fingers found purchase into the broken off wooden floor as she held on for dear life.

"ROSE!" The Doctor was running up to the part of the hallway that had collapsed, fear prominent in his voice. He found Rose hanging on for dear life and he immediately sprung into action. "Rose, hold on!" he said, tiptoeing over to a sturdy part of the floor next to her.

"Hurry! My hand is slipping," said Rose, wincing as the wood splinters dug into her fingers.

The Doctor lay down flat on the floor on his belly and reached his arms down to hook his hands under Rose's arms. "Rose, I'm going to need you to wrap your arms around my neck," he said, forcing his voice to be calm.

"No, no, I can't," said Rose, unwilling to relinquish the tenuous grip that was preventing her from falling to her death.

"Yes, you can," he said, meeting her eyes and Rose was surprised to see how scared -no, how terrified- he looked. "Please, Rose. Trust me. One hand at a time, I won't let you fall."

Nodding nervously, Rose loosened one hand and wrapped it around the Doctor's neck. His grip on her was strong and it gave her the courage to wrap the other hand around his neck too. Once her grip was secure, she gave a nod when he asked her if she was ready.

"At three then," he said, his breathing laboured as his grip under her arms was the only thing keeping her from falling. "One, two, three…"

With a mighty heave, the Doctor pulled Rose up and on top of him as he fell back on his back. The two of them tried to catch their breath, their hearts racing at the near miss.

The Doctor was the first to recover as he cupped Rose's face with both his hands and tilted it up towards him to look at her. "Rose, are you alright? Are you hurt? Does anything hurt?" he asked frantically.

Rose stared at him, wondering if he was the same Doctor who had told her moments ago that he couldn't stand her. Right now, he was a complete one-eighty from that, looking her up and down as if determined to make sure that every inch of her was unharmed and uninjured. "No, I am fine," she said slowly, but it didn't stop his frantic gaze. He rolled her onto her back and hovered over her, checking her arms and legs again for injuries that he might have missed.

When he found none, he grabbed both her hands and held them between his hearts and rested his forehead on hers. "I thought I'd lost you," he murmured, sounding genuinely terrified.

"You didn't, I'm here," she said, feeling the need to reassure him even as her head was spinning with his mood swings.

His eyes snapped open at that, and Rose was knocked speechless by the depth of emotions in his eyes. She had never seen him like that, and her breath stuttered in her chest when he bent down and brushed his lips against hers in a tender, almost chaste gesture.

The kiss jolted her into action. She pushed him away and scrambled to her feet. "No," she said, moving away from him.

"Rose?" he asked, sounding so broken that it almost changed her mind.

"No," she repeated, more for her sake than his. "You can't do this to me. You can't just...pushing me away one minute and...and then lookin' at me an-and kissin' me like that. It's not fair."

"Rose," he said again as he stood up.

Rose moved back until she was nearly backed against the wall. "The whole of last week, and now, this. I don't even know what's going on wi-AARRRGGHHH…"

"Rose!" screamed the Doctor as the wall behind her slid open, taking Rose into the darkness beyond it. He ran to it but it slid shut before he got there. "Rose!" he screamed again as he banged his fists against the wall. But there was no reply.

Someone, or something, had taken Rose.

~

The lower levels turned up nothing until the calm, rational version of the Doctor found the stone stairwell that would lead into the foundations of the castle.

He hoped that Fitz, Rose and his other two selves had better luck than him when it came to finding something that would explain this whole business. He managed to unlock the door at the bottom of the stairwell and nearly gagged as the stench of rotting remains and stale produce hit him. Definitely the dungeons and extensive ones at that, he deduced as he descended into them.

He drew out the torch from his pocket and shone it around, looking for anything that might be of use. It was a typical dungeon, with stone prison cells, rusty chains on the wall and corridors upon corridors of a twisted labyrinth. With a sigh, he contemplated using a string or something equally useful for navigating the corridors when he felt a sharp blow at the back of his head.

His vision went black but before he lost consciousness, he could have sworn he saw a pair of red eyes.


	35. Ghosts of Oldbank: The Phantasm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains mild descriptions of torture by electrocution towards the end. If that kind of content is triggering, I would recommend skipping that part.

_Previously_

_"Where do you think it leads?" he asked. The other Doctor, the one who seemed perpetually angry for some reason, had told them to be on the lookout for anything that didn't fit. Fitz was sure that a small pool of water with water as clear as this in the midst of dead vegetation, certainly qualified as being out of place._

_"Only one way to find out," said the Doctor with an excited grin. Before Fitz could stop him, he dived head first into the pool._

"Doctor," hissed Fitz as the Doctor all but disappeared. He briefly considered going after him before common sense kicked in. For all he knew, it was a trap and it would make no sense for him to get caught along with the Doctor.

No, he decided as he stood up and started jogging back towards the castle. It would be better if he went to Rose or one of the other Doctors for help.

Meanwhile, the Doctor who had fallen through the rabbit hole, was having the time of his life sliding down a ramp that took him right into the dungeons. Despite having fallen into a pool of water, he was completely dry, which he realised as soon as he reached the bottom. He jumped to his feet and glanced back the way he had come from with obvious delight.

"False water pool that is actually a secret entrance into the dungeon, I love it!" he declared to himself. "Now, let's see which way there is to go." The chamber he had landed in had paved stone walls and floors and was bare of anything else except the door. He went towards it and swung it open, gaping in astonishment when he realised that it was just one door in a maze of other doors.

With a grin of anticipation, he started to explore the chambers behind each door one at a time.

~

_"You can't do this to me. You can't just...pushing me away one minute and...and then lookin' at me an-and kissin' me like that. It's not fair."_

_"Rose," he said again as he stood up._

_Rose moved back until she was nearly backed against the wall. "The whole of last week, and now, this. I don't even know what's going on wi-AAARRRGGHHH…."_

The wall behind her slid open and Rose lost her balance as she fell backwards. She heard the Doctor call for her in alarm, but Rose felt herself sliding down a chute through the darkness.

Before she could try and find something to stop her descent, she landed on the cold stone floor with a thump.

Groaning in pain and more than a bit of embarrassment, she dragged herself to her feet and looked around. It was pitch dark and extremely cold, and the dank smell just confirmed the fact that she had most likely landed into the castle's dungeon. It was disconcerting how quickly she could identify a dungeon even without her sight, but having been locked up in so many of them during the course of her travels with the Doctor had done wonders for her deductive skills.

Fumbling around in her leather jacket, she found the small silver torch that the Doctor had given her and shone it around. As expected, it was definitely the dungeon and quite a bare one at that. 

Considering the size of the castle, Rose was willing to bet that there would be more chambers than just this one. She was about to go to the door and see for herself when she heard footsteps.

Quickly, she turned off the torch and backed into the shadows, determined to stay hidden. The footsteps stopped at the door and the person behind it, started to turn the knob. Rose gripped the torch in her hand tightly, determined to use it as a weapon if needed.

However, when the doors opened, the silhouette belonged to a familiar figure. Before Rose could call out his name, he shone the torch right in her face, causing her to turn away.

"Rose!" he said, surprise evident in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Fell through the wall," she said, blinking to clear her vision. "What about you?" she asked him, still unsure if he was the normal Doctor or the eccentric one.

"I fell down a rabbit hole," he said, sounding quite excited and Rose didn't have to guess anymore which one he was since his tone made it quite clear. "Well, it was more like a shallow body of water disguised as an entrance into the dungeon, but semantics!"

Rose smiled, despite herself. "You jumped into it, didn't you?"

"I had to, Rose," he said, as if the very idea of not doing it would be sacrilegious. "How else would I be able to tell where it came out?"

"You could have scanned it with your sonic screwdriver," she pointed out, still highly amused. Without the rational side present, it appeared that the Doctor's natural curiosity overshadowed even his basic cautiousness.

He made a face at her suggestion as if the very idea of doing that was somehow absurd. "Where is the me that was with you?" he asked curiously.

Rose looked away. "Probably looking for me," she mumbled.

The Doctor was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Let us find our way back to him," he said, sounding almost like his normal self. "Knowing him, he'll be ready to tear things apart by now."

~

It wasn't too far off from what the Sulky Doctor was doing at that very moment. He had tried to find a lever or some sort of an opening but the thing refused to open. Fitz found him a few minutes later, cursing up a storm in every language he knew how.

"Doctor?" Fitz's voice was almost meek in the face of the Doctor's anger.

"What?" he growled, looking thunderous. He looked taken aback at Fitz's appearance before schooling his expression into the ever present scowl from before. "What happened?" he demanded.

"You, he, jumped into this pool of water and just disappeared," said Fitz carefully. He very deliberately didn't ask about Rose since this Doctor still looked quite furious. As little as Fitz knew about his new friends, he knew how protective the Doctor was when it came to Rose.

"Rose disappeared through this wall," said the Doctor, pointing to it. "Help me find an opening."

Fitz nodded and the two of them started to tap the different parts of the wall to find some way of opening the secret trapdoor in the wall. Finally, Fitz discovered that the lever was not on the wall at all, but on the floor of the hallway. The opening slid open and the Doctor clenched his jaw as he walked towards it with determined steps.

Fitz ran after him and the two of them slid down the same chute that Rose had fallen into before.

~

"You're very quiet," commented the Doctor, as they searched for a way out of the dungeons.

Rose glanced at him in surprise. He was still getting distracted by the little things but the majority of his time was spent looking at her through the corner of his eyes. Not for the first time Rose wondered if the split in personalities had been as clear cut as she'd initially assumed. "I'm fine, I guess," she said.

"You know, you shouldn't take what he said to heart," he said in a gentle tone.

"It wasn't anything he said," she half-lied, since him saying that he couldn't stand her still stung a bit.

The Doctor glanced sideways at her. "I may be out of my mind but I know what I'm out of my mind about," he said. "We don't like him either, and he is a part of me that the other two of us prefer to be kept silent. Unfortunately, there are times when he escapes the chains that we put him in."

"He's not all bad," Rose said before she could stop herself.

The Doctor looked surprised at her defending him. "Out of the three of us, who would you say is the oldest and who would be the youngest?" he asked.

Rose looked taken aback at the odd change in topic but went ahead and answered. "You would be the youngest, and the one that I was with was probably the oldest, yeah?"

He smiled widely. "Wrong," he said. "I'm the oldest. I was the first one. The childishness, the curiosity, the desire to see the universe, the thirst for discovering new things. Then came the rational one. He curbed some of my enthusiasm, put restrictions on my recklessness and made me grow up a bit. Then, he came. The Storm, we call him. All the darkness, all the pain, all the nasty things he's done, all the guilt he richly deserves; that's all on him."

Rose's eyes were wide with horror. "But...he…" she snapped her mouth shut, remembering the terror in his eyes when she had lost her footing. The anger, Rose realised, was directed at himself. Because he was carrying the guilt and pain heaped onto him by his other selves. Rose wanted to get back to him at once and apologise for pushing him away. He'd reached out to her and she had rejected him, just as the other two had.

"Rose, Rose, where are you going?" asked the Doctor as she broke out into a sprint.

She didn't stop to answer; she had to find the Storm at once.

~

It was a typical dungeon, with stone prison cells, rusty chains on the wall and corridors upon corridors of a twisted labyrinth. With a sigh, he contemplated using a string or something equally useful for navigating the corridors when he felt a sharp blow at the back of his head.

His vision went black but before he lost consciousness, he could have sworn he saw a pair of red eyes.

When he came to, he realised that he was flat on his back on a cold, hard surface and was naked from the waist up. There were straps across his torso and legs pinning him down tightly to the examination table, and his wrists and ankles were in metal cuffs attached to it.

He glanced around quickly and saw that the table next to him held a variety of instruments, and his eyes went wide when he discovered that some of them were used across the universe as tools of torture.

"You're awake," a gravelly voice said and the Doctor snapped towards it. His eyes went wide when he recognised the red eyes he had seen just before he'd lost consciousness. They belonged to a hunched over bald, old man with oddly grey skin that made him look like a ghost. The unwashed white lab coat only added to his ghostly appearance.

"The Phantasm, I presume," said the Doctor.

"Yes," he answered, unsurprised. "I have waited long for someone like you to venture into my laboratory." He spoke in a monotonous voice that had no inflection whatsoever, making him sound even more sinister.

"Someone like me?" asked the Doctor.

"Multifaceted," said the Phantasm. "Complex personalities are an old curiosity of mine. Many years ago, I was as human as any other being on this planet. But I wished to be more, I wanted more than a simple human body. I tried a lot of things to change the fact…"

"On yourself, I'm guessing," said the Doctor, with a look at the odd pallor of his skin and the way his limbs and torso appeared to have been stretched and reassembled.

"Worthy test subjects are difficult to acquire," he said in the same monotonous voice.

"Am to understand that I qualify as one then?" inquired the Doctor lightly.

"You do," the Phantasm said shortly. "You will answer my questions," he ordered. "If you refuse," he walked around to the table with the instruments and picked up a pair of electrodes. "You will suffer."

~

"Rose, stop!"

His own voice echoed around him but there was no sign of Rose. He broke out into a run down one of the hallways, unaware that he had taken a wrong turn and was heading in a direction completely opposite to Rose's.

Rose, meanwhile, had ground to a stop when she'd realised that the chamber she was in was the innermost chamber of the castle. Unlike the rest of the place, this looked like someone was still living there. There were rows and rows of books and instruments, a desk full of papers and files, even a computer.

Curiously, Rose ventured to one of the instruments and saw that it was an MRI machine, but somehow smaller and more sleek than ones she remembered from back home. The one next to it appeared to be a more advanced form of a scanner, and as Rose passed it, a small beacon lit up on it without her noticing.

She went towards the desk and started shuffling through the papers. With a gasp of horror, she realised that they were sketches of various people being tortured. Whoever had sketched them had also written down the exact nature of the torture and their reactions to it. Feeling sick to her stomach, Rose dropped the papers.

She had to find the Doctor, and at this point it didn't matter which. They had to get the hell out of this place.

~

"I ask again, what species are you?" asked the Phantasm, flicking the switch to 'on' again.

The Doctor screamed again, the sweat from his body allowing the electricity to conduct even faster, making the agony worse. Still, he refused to answer the Phantasm.

Seeing his subject's non response, the Phantasm raised the charge even more, letting the electrodes taped to the Doctor's torso send powerful electric currents into his body. The scream that erupted from the Doctor's throat was raw and agonising. It echoed off the walls but no one was close enough to hear it.

"I can be very patient," said the Phantasm, allowing the Doctor to catch his breath and switching the defibrillator off. The Doctor gritted his teeth but a groan of pain still slipped past his lips.

"No," said the Doctor, the only word he'd spoken since the Phantasm had started his torture.

The Phantasm's hand was about to reach the switch again when he stopped and turned away. The Doctor looked surprised, and glanced towards him. He was examining a small remote control on the table.

"Ah," he said, and the Doctor felt his hearts chill at the slight triumph in his otherwise monotonous voice. "One of my instruments just registered a presence in my office. A female, I do believe."

The Doctor's hearts almost stopped, before he started to struggle. "Stay away from her," he shouted, his voice hoarse with pain.

"My scanner recorded her because like you, she does not register as fully human," said the Phantasm, giving no indication of having heard him. "Perhaps, she will be easier to break than you."

"NO! Don't go near her," said the Doctor, but the Phantasm made a shushing noise and injected a serum into the Doctor's arm. The Doctor tried to fight the effects of the sedative but in his weakened state, he couldn't focus and he succumbed to the darkness.

~

The Eccentric Doctor found himself at a dead end and realised that he'd lost Rose somewhere in the maze of hallways. With a groan, he started to retrace his steps, only to come face to face with a grey skinned old man with red eyes.

"Ah yes, another half," he hissed. "You'll be useful."

Before the Doctor could react, he'd fired off a bolt from the blowdart. It hit the Doctor's chest, and he collapsed immediately as the sedative simultaneously paralysed him and made him lose consciousness. The Phantasm picked his body up with a strength that defied his frail appearance, and took him into one of the torture rooms far away from the first Doctor he'd captured.

After making sure that he was tied up and secured, he went in search of the girl. The secret of a complex and diverse physiognomy would be his, no matter the cost.


	36. Ghosts of Oldbank: The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some discussion of torture in this chapter but it is mild compared to the last chapter.

_Previously_

_Fitz discovered that the lever was not on the wall at all, but on the floor of the hallway. The opening slid open and the Doctor clenched his jaw as he walked towards it with determined steps._

_Fitz ran after him and the two of them slid down the same chute that Rose had fallen into before._

They soon discovered that they had arrived into the dungeons, and that the place was much more extensive than they had first imagined. Still, the Doctor was adamant that they stay together and Fitz was only too happy to comply. No way did he want to be wandering these halls on his own.

Through the suspiciously quiet dungeons, the Doctor and Fitz navigated their way to find Rose and the Doctor's other self. Briefly, they wondered if the third one exploring the lower floors had ventured into here as well.

"Which way do you think?" asked Fitz, after nearly twenty minutes of walking through hallways. 

There were three ways to go from where they were now. The first one would lead out of the dungeons, the one on the right would go in deeper towards the grounds but they had no idea where the third one would lead.

"Here," said the Doctor quickly, moving towards the third one.

"Knew you would say that," mumbled Fitz as he went after him. He was starting to reconsider the whole time travel business. Gambling in Monte Carlo had been great, but he'd never signed up for haunted castles and aliens who split into three. So far, it was 1:1 on the perks and downsides tally and Fitz was wondering if he should remain around for what would come the next time. "Is it always like this?" he asked the Doctor.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

Fitz wasn't deterred. "Just, this," he said nodding around them. "Is this what time travel is all about?"

"If you want to leave, I could take you back," said the Doctor sharply. "This life, it's not always fun, it's not always smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will. So," he rounded on Fitz and looked him dead in the eye. "Tell me, Fitzgerald Michael Kreiner, are you ready for it? All those years getting beat up and hiding your bruises from your mother, listening to sneers of people about your heritage, watching your mother wither and die of an illness that took her mind long before it took her, never getting to know your father; are you ready to rise above it and see something more or is London 1963 our next destination?"

Fitz had gone white at the Doctor's words. "How-how do you know all that?" he asked, starting to tremble. "Christ, you know what, don't ever tell me how you know that. And thanks, for being so compassionate about it."

The Doctor ignored his sarcasm. "Do you know why I think the TARDIS took so well to you? She saw something in you, something she rarely sees in people that walk through her doors. Something that I saw beneath the rebel-without-a-cause facade. The potential you have, Fitz, is nothing to be taken lightly. But you have a choice to make. You can throw it all away or you can take it and carve out the life you've always craved."

With those words, the Doctor turned around and started on his way again. Fitz stared at his retreating back, feeling anger, hurt, and some shame swirling in his heart. Despite his harsh and somewhat unjustified words, the Doctor had spoken the absolute truth. He'd had a bad childhood, bad enough that Fitz wouldn't wish it on anyone. As soon as he'd turned eighteen, he had turned into a cautious person who breezed through life only doing the bare minimum but complaining about the mediocrity of his life all the same.

On one of his mother's more lucid days, she'd told him: _Fitz, one day the world will be on fire, and you would light a cigarette and wait for the flames to consume you as you sit and complain about the heat._

Years later, standing in a dungeon, Fitz finally understood what she had been talking about.

~

"...14 bottles of beer on the wall, 14 bottles of beer. Take one out, drink it down. 13 bottles of beer on the wall…"

"Will you please be quiet?" the Sulky Doctor snapped as he and Fitz finally found the chamber where his Eccentric self had been stashed away.

"Oh, I am so glad you found me!" said the Eccentric Doctor with obvious delight. "I started at 500 bottles and things were getting a bit stale."

"Fitz, use this to cut through the straps holding him down," said the Sulky Doctor, giving him a switchblade while he undid the metal cuffs with the sonic screwdriver. "Have you seen Rose?"

"Yes, but I lost her somewhere in the hallways," said the Eccentric Doctor, sounding mournful.

"You had her and let her out of your sight?!" thundered his other self with a glare.

"She ran off to find you!" he protested and it brought the Doctor up short.

For a moment it seemed like he would demand to be told exactly what had transpired between them for Rose to want to seek him out, but Fitz had finally cut through the bonds and got the Eccentric Doctor free. He got to his feet and rubbed his chest. "There, that's better. Now, let me tell you everything."

~

The Doctor was moaning in pain, the effects of electrocution still quite painful. He was aware of his surroundings but his nerves had taken some damage and he was seriously considering dropping into a healing coma. The Phantasm couldn't torture an unconscious man but the Doctor wouldn't put it past him to cut him open instead.

Somehow, he had to escape. If the Phantasm got to Rose…

He was still struggling to escape when the chamber door slammed open. He was feeling a lot weaker than before but when he heard his own voice echo back he slumped back in relief.

"He's been tortured," said his own voice in a firm tone and he knew it was the Storm.

"Rose…" he tried to say. "Rose."

"Is he asking for Rose?" asked Fitz.

"Phantasm...going after...Rose," he managed to mumble.

Identical swear words escaped the Eccentric and Sulky Doctor's mouths as they freed their third self. "You two take him back to the castle's foyer. Stay there," the Storm ordered Fitz and the Eccentric Doctor. "He's been electrocuted. You know how to deal with it," he told his Eccentric self.

"What are you going to do?" he asked the Storm.

"I'm going to find Rose, and then deal with this Phantasm," said the Storm, his jaw set and his eyes practically spitting fire as he said the Phantasm's name.

"Oh," said the Eccentric Doctor simply, somehow managing to convey his disapproval in that utterance.

The Storm glared at him. "Don't get all morally superior on me right now. Rose's life is at stake," he snapped and stormed off, leaving Fitz and his Eccentric self to fashion a stretcher to carry the Doctor's tortured self out of the dungeons.

~

The Phantasm was in his office, gathering a fresh set of his instruments. He wasn't certain if he should use electrocution on the girl or go for some other way to extract information. She'd certainly put up a fight when he'd cornered her in the hallways, but he'd managed to subdue her with the sedative.

The electrocution equipment was on the other side of the dungeons with the first Doctor, so the Phantasm found his set of carving daggers and picked them up instead. As an added measure, he poured out a flask of chemical irritant into a small jar. Just in case, he needed to cause more pain.

Satisfied, he gathered up his tools and turned to leave, only to find a man standing at the door. The tools fell from his hands as he tried to find the sedative but the man was next to him in a flash, and had punched him right in the abdomen, making him drop to his knees.

"So, I heard you like to torture," said the man, so alike in appearance to his other two selves but so dangerous that even the Phantasm's usually unperturbed senses registered fear. "And those are for Rose, I presume," he added, looking at the daggers that had clattered to the floor.

"I wouldn't waste time with me if I were you. You'd want to recover your other selves first. The conditions that I left them in are not exactly ideal," said the Phantasm, trying to raise some sense of self-preservation in the man.

To his surprise, the Doctor gave a laugh that made the fear in his heart turn to terror. "Oh, oh, Phantasm. Don't be silly," said the Doctor as if speaking to a child. "I'm not interested in myself. I simply want to know where you've taken Rose Tyler." The Doctor's voice was gentle as he advanced towards the Phantasm who started to cower.

"I will never tell you!" shouted the Phantasm, his own sense of self preservation breaking through his cool facade.

The Doctor laughed again, the soft sound somehow managing to sound menacing as it echoed off the walls. "Do you really think I would ask you? You didn't, when you sent electricity coursing through my other self's body. So, you know what I'm going to do? I am just going to place my finger gently against your temple."

The Phantasm screamed in true fear when he felt the Doctor enter his mind. You're in my mind.

 _Of course, I am,_ came the Doctor's snap retort. _The others never let me invade a mind. I can see why, this one's a dump. Have a taste for torture, don't you? Let's see here then._

Agony pierced the Phantasm's mind and body, and screams erupted from his mouth as the Doctor applied pressure on his thalamus.

 _Do you know what the beauty of torture is? The Doctor continued nonchalantly as he let the Phantasm catch his breath. Very few people know how to truly cause pain. You think you're quite good, but face it, electrocution and daggers are child's play. Now this_ , he added, sending waves of pain to the thalamus. _This is true torture._

 _Get out of my mind,_ the Phantasm tried to gasp. _You can't stay here an-and bully me!_

 _Of course, I can. I can stay here as long as I like, cause you as much pain as I like. Until your brain can't take it anymore, or until you tell me where Rose is_ , continued the Doctor in a calm, gentle voice.

_I won't tell you. I have tortured so many people. I know how to hold out. I will not tell you!_

_Do you know what my other selves call me? They call me the Storm. If your spectral beam was good for one thing, it was to separate me from those other two. Without them holding me back, there is so much more I can do. I no longer have the innocence or the rules holding me back. So, you tell me Phantasm, can you really hold out against me?_

Mere minutes later, the Storm strode into the chamber not far from the office where he had left the Phantasm a weakened man. He found Rose strapped to the examination table, missing her leather jacket and jumper.

Fury rose in him and he nearly turned around to go and kill the Phantasm but he made himself turn back to her unconscious form. He quickly scanned her with the screwdriver and breathed in relief when he realised that she was only sedated and the Phantasm hadn't touched her. With a jaw clenched hard enough to grind through stone, he started to undo her bindings.

When he'd got her free, he located her leather jacket and wrapped it around her bra-clad torso. He was about to lift her up when she gave a groan of pain and started waking up.

"Doctor?"

"It's me," he said, grabbing her hand and holding it to his cheek.

"Are we safe?" she asked, sounding a bit sluggish due to the effects of the sedative.

"Yes," he said. "We are safe."

She nodded and sat up slowly with his help. The Doctor stood quietly, keeping his face impassive while she gathered her bearings. She gazed thoughtfully at him for a moment before jumping to her feet and nearly tackling him with a hug.

He was so surprised by it that he stumbled back a few steps with her in his arms. "Rose?" he asked, feeling bewildered.

"I love you," she murmured into his neck. "I'm sorry the other two don't understand. I'm so sorry."

A cry of near-anguish escaped his lips before he tightened his grip on her. "Oh, Rose Tyler," he said. "I have loved you for so long. It's that love that's stopped them from letting me love you like I want."

"They don't love me?" asked Rose, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Do you know what the Storm is, Rose? It's not just all the pain and the darkness. I am the one who feels, Rose. Good, bad, love, hate, anger, despair, joy, all of it. The loony one cares about you because you are a mystery, something undiscovered. The rational one appreciates you for all that you are and all that you have done for us."

"And you?" she asked.

"I am the passion, the love, the lust, the all-consuming fire that burns with all those things that the other two are too afraid to feel," he said. "So, they stop me. Put me in chains so I cannot…" he shook his head, unable to go on.

Rose stared at him silently for a moment before bringing his head down to hers in a kiss. There was no shock or hesitation on his part, as he lifted one of her legs to wrap around his waist and pressed himself closer to her. The leather jacket fell off Rose's shoulder but neither of them noticed as they lost themselves to the sensation of their tongues and lips and wandering hands.

The chamber door slamming open knocked them out of their ardour. They whirled around and saw the Phantasm, looking weakened but holding a device with a detonation button in his hand.

"If I have to die," he wheezed out. "Then I will take you all with me."

The Doctor moved in the blink of an eye as he drew out the sonic screwdriver and disabled just one of the circuitries on the explosives. It powered down at once, rendering the device useless.

"Now," said the Doctor, letting go of Rose and stepping up to the Phantasm. "I think it was a mistake to let you live. Something that I intend to correct." He extended his hand towards his neck.

"STOP!" The Doctor whirled around and saw the shocked expression on Rose's face.

"Rose?" he asked, looking confused.

"You can't kill him!" she said, horrified by the very idea that he had no qualms about killing a man in cold blood.

"He is a murderer. He tortured and killed hundreds of people. He tried to kill us!" said the Storm, trying to make her understand.

"No," said Rose as she walked up to the Storm. "I won't let you do this."

"He tortured my other self. He was going to torture YOU!" yelled the Storm, his fury rearing its head at the very idea .

Rose didn't flinch. "He's not the one trying to hurt anyone right now," she said, looking at the Phantasm who had collapsed to his knees. "He can't harm anyone any more. What about you, Doctor? Can you kill an unarmed man in cold blood?"

The Doctor's hands trembled at the disgust in her eyes, before falling to his side. "Yes," he said, suddenly sounding very old. "Yes, I can, actually. But I won't." He looked at the Phantasm who seemed very close to death. "He's too dangerous to be left free but there is a way to keep him contained without killing him," he said slowly.

Before Rose could ask what he meant by that, he had lifted the Phantasm and thrown him over his shoulder. Rose grabbed her jacket and ran after them. The Doctor took the Phantasm into the office where there was something that looked like an ordinary cabinet. He lowered his body into it and closed the doors before fiddling with the panel next to it.

"It's a crude cryogenic storage. It's all I can do," he said, avoiding Rose's eyes.

Rose touched his shoulder. "Thank you," she said.

He lifted his eyes to hers, needing to see the forgiveness in them for himself. What he found gave him heart and he kissed her forehead, before taking her hand. "I think," he said, starting to lead her out of the dungeons. "It's time to put humpty dumpty back together again."

~

Putting the Doctor back together turned out to be easier than anticipated. The three of them had to simply enter the chamber from before and the beam activated itself, reversing the process. 

Rose and Fitz waited outside anxiously, and when the green glow died down, the door opened and the Doctor walked out.

There was no sign of any pain in his features, in fact, he looked like he was in perfect health. He grinned at his companions. "Well, that was quite an adventure," he said.

"One that I do not want to repeat," said Rose with an easy grin.

The Doctor agreed with a laugh and grabbed her hand tightly. "Fitz?" he asked.

"I'm with Rose on that one," he said, as the three of them started walking back to the TARDIS. "But," he said in a slightly more serious voice. "I think I'll stick around to see what comes next."

The Doctor beamed at him and Fitz returned the smile with an awkward one of his own. They reached the TARDIS and he shuffled off to his room, murmuring good night to the Doctor and Rose as he did.

"That was some birthday," said Rose after the two of them had been silent for a while.

"It isn't over yet," said the Doctor. "There are still five hours left."

Rose chuckled a bit and shook her head. "Yeah, I guess," she said. The TARDIS ceiling was transparent and they could see the first breaks of dawn in the dark sky. She looked back at the Doctor and found him gazing at her with a soft look on his face.

"Everything I said back then," he said quietly. "It was the truth."

Rose looked surprised that he would bring it up himself but managed to school her features into careful nonchalance. The Doctor did not let it deter him as he walked up to her and took her hand in his. "I love you," he whispered and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

Rose was quiet for a moment before she took her hand away. "I'm going to bed," she said, and the Doctor's hearts crashed in his chest. "If you join me," she continued and the Doctor looked up, hardly daring to believe it. "If you join me, then we finish what we started back in that dungeon. But if you don't, then we'll leave everything that happened behind. You are still my best friend and I still love you, but I can't ignore what happened until I am positive that it is not something that you want."

With a determined smile and nod in his direction, she turned away and walked to their room. The Doctor stood in his place for a long moment before he turned abruptly and followed Rose.


	37. Interlude: Fade to Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely NSFW. It's also my first time writing smut. Hope you enjoy it!

The Doctor walked down the corridor with slow, measured steps, as if he was expecting Rose to glance out apologetically out of their room and tell him she had changed her mind.

He reached their room and he took a moment to compose himself. The three differing aspects of his personality still swirled and coalesced from their ordeal before and he wanted to be certain that this would be the right course of action.

_I have loved you for so long. It's that love that's stopped them from letting me love you like I want._

He turned the knob and pushed the door open. Over the months of them sharing a room, the colours had gradually changed from the plain lavender of Rose's room to splashes of colour that represented them both. However his attention wasn't on the walls anymore.

The usual white sheets and cream coloured duvet had been replaced by deep red bedding. The covers had been pulled back invitingly and there were small floating light cubes around the room giving off warm candlelight. Knowing that Rose would have no idea where to find those, he assumed that it had been the TARDIS.

Speaking of Rose, she wasn't in the room but he could hear her humming in the ensuite. The Doctor entered the room and closed the door behind him. Even if he knew that Fitz wouldn't be able to find them, he clicked the lock shut.

The humming stopped and he knew Rose must have heard him. He decided to take his shoes off while he waited for her to emerge. He untied the laces of those dress shoes that Grace had given him all those years ago and slipped them off, placing them next to Rose's boots.

As he was doing so, the bathroom door opened and the Doctor's gaze snapped to Rose's bare feet as they appeared in his vision. His eyes moved slowly along the length of her body, noting the black satin sleep shorts and camisole. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before, but he was acutely aware that it was a far cry from her usual comfortable cotton sleepwear. Her hair was brushed, face scrubbed clean of any makeup and she had a nervous smile flitting about her lips.

He stood up slowly and extended his hand, his gaze never leaving her. Rose stepped towards him and took his hand, letting him pull her into a hug. The Doctor felt his eyes fall shut as he cradled her warm, barely clothed body against his. Her familiar scent of vanilla and roses hit his olfactory senses and he sighed into her neck, feeling her relax with each breath that she took.

"Nervous?" he asked her in a whisper, afraid to raise his voice and disturb the moment.

"A bit," she murmured against his cravat.

He held her in the hug, content to take this at the pace that she wanted. His time senses started drifting as moments passed in a lazy, languid way. He was about to focus them when he felt Rose's lips press into his neck through his cravat.

His breath caught as Rose kissed her way up his jaw until she reached his left cheek. She paused then and the Doctor realised that his eyes had fallen shut, so he hastily opened them, eager to see her. She was looking at him, as if expecting him to make her stop.

He immediately set about to disabuse her of that notion as he tilted his face towards her and kissed her slowly, like the way he had after the Eye of Harmony incident. He felt her nails dig into his shoulders as she deepened the kiss, letting her tongue brush past his lips to explore his mouth.

One of his hands cupped her face as they kissed while the other was running up and down the tiny strap of her camisole. Rose broke off the kiss with a gasp, looking delightfully flushed as she regarded him with slightly hooded eyes.

He smiled at her and felt his hearts flutter when he was rewarded by her tongue-touched answering grin that never failed to brighten his world. He longed to pull her against him and kiss her again but she disentangled herself from his arms and let her fingers drift towards his cravat. With quick, deft flicks of her fingers, the grey piece of silk fluttered to the floor.

Rose ran her hands over his shoulders, smoothing down the velvet of his green frockcoat before pushing it down his arms. He lowered his arms helpfully, vaguely registering the coat hitting the floor in a heap. He was too lost by the loving and slightly determined look in her eyes as she undressed him.

It wasn't the first time that she had undressed him; she'd taken to stripping him down to just his trousers where he would take over and change into his pyjama bottoms in the bathroom before coming to bed. It had become a routine for them and would usually be filled with their usual banter and conversations. This was very, very quiet when you considered the two of them but this moment felt just right without it. Also, the Doctor was afraid that he would start babbling nonsense like the loony one back then if he opened his mouth now.

While he had been lost in his thoughts, Rose had rid him of his shirt and waistcoat, and left his torso bare. She had paused and the Doctor was aware that this would be the point of no return, so to speak. He waited for her to make the move, even as he ached to remove those scraps of satin that she thought passed for sleepwear and feel her bare skin.

Rose seemed to be stalling, biting her lips as she ran her hands over his torso, feeling the hard panes and ridges of his body. "It's been a while," she murmured slowly, feeling his questioning gaze on her. "For me, I mean."

The Doctor tilted her chin up and smiled. "I can assure you that it has been far, far longer for me, my Rose," he said.

Rose nodded. "I love you," she said.

The Doctor grinned and peppered kisses over her mouth and cheek, mumbling that he loved her between kisses. Rose giggled as his day old stubble tickled her and the Doctor wrapped his arms around her waist, spinning them both around.

They fell on the bed side-by-side, their arms still wrapped around each other. Rose sat up and gently guided the Doctor so that his head was lying back on the pillows, before straddling him. 

With a boldness that defied her earlier nervousness, she crossed her arms in front of her and took off the camisole in one smooth go. The scrap of fabric was tossed aside but neither the Doctor nor Rose registered where it went. The Doctor was too busy watching Rose and Rose was too busy watching the Doctor to gauge his reaction.

"Oh, my lovely Rose," he murmured, his gaze roving over her bare form like he couldn't get enough. "C'mere, darling."

Rose went willingly, letting him kiss her like she was the most precious thing in his universe. He rolled them over carefully without breaking the kiss and when Rose started getting breathless, he kissed his way down her neck where he nuzzled the hollow of her throat before looking up at her. 

She was breathing heavily and he could feel the heat from her skin but her breathless smile was all the encouragement he needed to keep going.

He kissed down the valley of her breasts, nuzzling the soft skin and feeling her heart racing. His hands slid up and down her sides, feeling warmth blazing through his fingertips wherever he touched her. When he reached her navel he looked up at her and at her nod, pulled the satin sleep shorts down her legs, off her ankles, and tossed them aside.

Rose lowered herself back on the bed, having leaned up to help him take it off. She was completely bare to his gaze, having opted not to wear any underwear under the flimsy shorts. 

Rose had lost plenty of her self-consciousness over her years of travel with the Doctor, but she still remembered Jimmy's comments about her naked form.

The Doctor was yet to say a word (or look away from her body) but when Rose started to squirm uncomfortably, he caught her wrists gently before she could try to cover herself. "Please don't," he murmured quietly, running his eyes over her so intensely that Rose started fidgeting for an entirely different reason.

"Doctor," she said, needing him to touch her with more than his heated gaze.

"I want to make love to you, precious girl," he said, looking into her eyes. "Will you let me?"

Rose saw the intense love of the Storm, the quiet love of the calm one and the curious love of the eccentric one in his eyes and gave a nod. "Yes, Doctor," she said.

He smiled beatifically as he bent down to kiss her again. Rose freed her wrists from his loose grip and buried her hands in his hair. He nudged her legs open with his knees and Rose welcomed him gladly as he situated himself between them. The scratchy material of his trousers rubbed against the inside of her thighs as he ran his tongue over her right breast, making Rose cry out at the duality of friction.

He moaned at her cry and pressed himself more firmly against her as he pulled her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it until it puckered up. He released the breast with a pop, moving his lips to the other one as Rose started grinding against him, little sighs and moans escaping her now and again. A thorough exploration of her left breast later, he concluded that Rose's breasts were the best things in the universe, but before he could go back to them, he felt a sharp tug on his hair.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked, sounding a bit put out at having been made to stop.

Instead of answering, she pushed him on his back, making sure to rub her entire naked body against his as she did so. A needy moan escaped his mouth without his permission and Rose giggled at him before giving him a promising wink. Catching on rather quickly, he went to help her but Rose batted his hands away and cupped him through his trousers. He bucked into her touch at once, feeling the heat of her skin even through the cloth.

"Rose," he said, when she ran her hand over the bulge, cupping and squeezing occasionally but making no move to free his erection from his trousers. "Darling…"

He could hear the need in his own voice, and she must have too, for she groaned and immediately started to undo his trousers. He gazed at her through half-lidded eyes that fell close when she pulled him out and grasped him gently. For her part, Rose was relieved to see that he looked more or less like a human would. Slightly cooler to touch but all the essential parts were there and ready as far as she could see.

She tapped his hip to get him to lift up a bit so she could take the trousers off the rest of the way. He obeyed at once and Rose tossed them behind her somewhere. The floating light cubes dimmed a bit as Rose crawled up his legs to grasp his length again. Her hand moved up and down, alternating between firm and gentle strokes, occasionally squeezing him lightly before relaxing her grip again. Rose watched in fascination as the Doctor fisted his hands in the deep red sheets, his breathing getting more and more laboured.

She had always thought him to be handsome, like one of those paintings of regal aristocrats she had seen in museums and art galleries, and she did occasionally think he was quite pretty, but watching him like this was like looking at a marble sculpture crafted just perfectly by Michelangelo. He was absolutely beautiful and Rose knew that she would never get tired of the sight of him like this.

"Rose...Rose," he gasped out her name, trying to reach for her. Rose decided to stroke him faster, bringing him closer and closer to climax. The Doctor looked like he was about to stop her but she wanted him to come undone, so she lowered her head and wrapped her lips around him.

The Doctor bucked quite roughly, and Rose had to remove her mouth and pat his hips to calm him down. Once certain that he wouldn't be so shocked the next time, Rose took him in her mouth again, swirling her tongue around him as she moved down and sucking her cheeks in as she moved back up.

The Doctor was garbling nonsensical words, some that the TARDIS translated and some that she didn't. Rose thought she heard her name wrapped in the midst of some chiming syllables but couldn't be certain since she could feel him getting closer.

The Doctor threaded his fingers through her hair and called out her name with a cry loud enough to wake half a planet. He barely held on until he left Rose's mouth to come all over her hand and his own belly. While he tried to regain his breath and some brain function back, he felt Rose reach down to pick up his discarded shirt to wipe them both down. The Doctor could not remember the last time he had felt such pleasure. He smiled at Rose lazily as she threw the shirt away and flopped onto her belly next to him.

"Hello," she said, grinning brightly, looking radiantly smug.

"Hello," he said, threading his hand through her hair to pull her into a kiss.

They kissed slowly for a few moments and the Doctor let his hand drift down her back, over the curve of her bum where he kneaded the flesh in time with their kiss. Before she knew it, Rose was on her back with the Doctor on top of her as he trailed his hands over her body in a feather-light touch and reached down to rub the neatly trimmed curls just above her warmth with one hand while the other massaged her right breast. Rose tried to tilt her pelvis into his touch, feeling the coolness of his hand so close, yet nowhere near where she wanted it. The Doctor chuckled and murmured something about being patient and Rose was about to say something along the lines of Screw patience, when the Doctor slipped a single finger inside her.

"Oh," she gasped, slightly thrown off by the coolness and the stark contrast that it made against her wet heat.

The Doctor rubbed her clit with his thumb as he slid his finger in and out of her wetness, watching her writhe under his ministrations. Gods across the universe help him, she was gorgeous. He slipped another finger inside her and she reached blindly for him, wanting to feel more. The Doctor was happy to oblige as he sped up the pace of his fingers and captured a nipple into his mouth. Rose's hips were starting to move in the rhythm that he had set, and the Doctor curled his fingers just at the top and a little to the left.

"Oh god, Doctor!"

The Doctor raised his head from lavishing attention on her breasts to watch her as she came. Her whole body went taut as a bow and a delicious blush spread over her neck and chest before her body went limp. He smiled as she tried to catch her breath and brought his fingers up to his mouth to taste her. The flavour exploded on his tongue, and he needed to have more. Rose was still breathing quite heavily from the effects of her first orgasm but the Doctor wasted no time in grabbing a small throw pillow and putting it under her arse after urging her to lift up a bit.

"What are you...oh!" Rose cried out as the Doctor parted her legs and dived straight for her clit. His tongue brushed the nub, alternating in quick flicks and slow pressure. Rose had barely had any time to recover from her last orgasm and she was already feeling like she was gearing up for another one. Some tiny, distant part of her brain not currently swimming in pleasure, noted how embarrassingly close she was. The Doctor diverted his attention from her clit long enough to part her lips and lick the walls of her centre in a long, languid lick.

Gasping with pleasure, Rose grabbed his arms that were holding her hips down. When he placed his mouth against her and gave a smacking, intimate kiss, Rose cried out and dug her nails into his forearms. Instead of crying out in pain, he groaned into her and Rose felt her toes starting to curl. The Doctor freed one of his hands from her grip and brought it down to pinch her clit while his mouth stayed busy, trying to get as much of her flavour as he could in his mouth.

"Come on darling," he murmured, pulling away only a little, his finger working furiously on her clit. "I know you are close."

Rose had lost the ability to use words and was speaking in nonsensical syllables when the Doctor found the spot from before with his finger and bit down lightly on her clit at the same time. 

It was Rose's turn to scream loudly enough to wake half a planet as she came harder than she ever had in her life.

Her breathing was erratic and she swore she saw spots behind her eyes as she came down from that high. No man had ever been able to do that to her, not twice in a row and certainly not as intense as this. She swore that some of that knowledge must have shown on her face since the Doctor was looking especially smug as he lay down next to her. She was thinking about kissing the grin away as soon as she stopped feeling like a puddle of goo, but the Doctor clearly had other plans as he lay down on his back and pulled her into his side until she was cuddled into him with her head on his chest.

"I love you," she said. His forearm had pink scratches on them and Rose raised it to her lips to kiss them slowly, comfortingly.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing his lips into her hair.

She must have drifted off because the next thing she knew was being woken up by tingling kisses. Her eyes opened lazily as she realised that she had rolled onto her belly and the Doctor was currently kissing his way down her back, and oh...He had found that spot, right there in the curve of her spine.

"Well, this is just beautiful," he said, running his tongue over the spot again and feeling Rose's breath accelerating. "I must remember this for future reference."

Rose chuckled breathlessly as he reached her bum and framed it with his large hands. "Has anyone ever told you that you have an excellent bottom, Rose Tyler?" he inquired.

She giggled. "No, but thanks for sharing," she said. "You have a very nice bottom too."

"I do, don't I?" he said, pausing in his activities to contemplate that.

Rose laughed as she turned around and pulled him down on top of her. "You really, really do," she said, cupping his bum and giving it a squeeze.

He hummed in pleasure as he placed butterfly kisses on her face and neck, smiling when she started to giggle. "And what's so funny, my Rose?" he asked.

"Just us," she said, tilting her head back to allow him access to more skin of her neck.

"What about us?" he asked, between kisses to her pulse point.

"This feels right, you know," she said, gasping when he sucked at the spot. "You and me. Like this."

"Hmm, I agree," he said, raising his head to look at the small mark he had made. He thought about what she was saying and knew that there were so many reasons why this would hurt one day when she was no longer with him, whether by their choice or not. But right now, in this moment, just lying in her arms and kissing her like they had eons ahead of them, was the best feeling in the universe. He glanced down at her sparkling eyes that held so much love in them for him, and was unable to resist pressing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

She let him control the kiss, perhaps because she had seen a hint of desperation of the Storm in his eyes right before he had kissed her. She ground her hips into his experimentally and found him almost ready again. She reached a hand between their tightly pressed together bodies and stroked him slowly, feeling him getting harder with each stroke.

The Doctor broke off the kiss with a gasp and looked at her with darkened eyes. She returned his gaze without hesitation and shifted to free her legs before spreading them apart invitingly. He moaned and buried his head in her neck, sucking at the mark he had made as he grabbed his length and ran the head up and down her wet slit, teasing her entrance slowly.

"Tell me, Rose," he said, his breathing laboured with the effort of holding himself back from thrusting into her. "How long will you stay with me?"

Rose had a dim memory of him murmuring something like this when he had stayed with her that first night after the Nira incident. She only vaguely remembered giving him an answer but she had meant it then, and she meant it now when she said, "Forever."

With a keening cry, he entered her in one smooth stroke. Rose cried out even louder than him, having not had a man enter her like this for almost four years. The Doctor was quivering with the effort of staying still but he waited until Rose nodded and started moving her hips. He went slow at first, keeping her comfort and pleasure in mind, until she growled and grabbed him into bruising kiss, demanding to go faster.

"My beautiful Rose," he groaned and thrust into her with shorter and quicker strokes, unable to look away from the pleasure on her face.

"Yes, Doctor! God, right there! Just there!" she gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to thrust harder.

The Doctor was starting to tense in a way that Rose knew he was close and the words he was speaking were no longer in English.

Without wasting any time, she guided his hand between them and he got the hint to rub at her clit, groaning in pleasure when he felt Rose starting to tighten around him.

"Rose," he said, almost begging as his thrusts became shorter and sloppier. "I need...I need…"

"Yes, Doctor," she said. "Whatever you need." She clenched deliberately around him and the Doctor yelled out her name followed by some garbled phrases as he came.

Without waiting to catch his breath, he continued to rub at her clit and when Rose finally came, it was almost quiet compared to the last two times. The Doctor collapsed on top of her, careful to keep his weight on his arms, as they both tried to calm their breathing and racing hearts.

"Precious girl," he murmured lovingly, when he felt her breathing slow down to normal.

Rose pecked his lips before guiding him off her and getting out of bed quickly. The Doctor sat up too, wincing at the stickiness of sweat and other fluids. Rose was already in the bathroom and in the shower by the time he had stripped down the bedding and joined her.

They took their time cleaning themselves with a fragrant soap that the Doctor could not for the life of him remember the name of, and then spent an inordinate amount of time making sure that they were completely dry.

By the time they emerged out into the bedroom, the light cubes were gone and their old ordinary lamps were left dimly on. The dirty bedding was gone too, replaced by fresh sheets and their usual duvet. 

Exchanging giddy smiles, they entered into bed together and wrapped completely naked around each other, the Doctor and Rose Tyler fell into a deep sleep.


	38. The Roman Invasion: Bifurcation of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realise that the years for certain countries winning the FIFA cup are different but this is a parallel world, and they have been changed for convenience.

"It is a delicate matter," said the Lord Burner quietly.

"I understand."

"No one is to know that this ever happened. Not even the President. I do not have to impress upon you what the consequences will be if this ever got out," said the Lord Burner.

"No sir, you do not."

"Good," said the Lord Burner quietly. "You have your task, and this Time Ring will take you to the parallel universe when you are ready. Do not fail me."

"I will not fail, sir."

~

The Doctor knew he had been sleeping for quite a while but he was very comfortable where he was, thank you very much. He reached for his lover, only to meet the cool side of the bed instead of Rose Tyler.

He popped an eye open and was greeted by a wondrous sight. Rose was seated in a chair, her hair mussed, wearing only a short silk robe, and holding a sketchpad and a pencil. He knew she liked art, she had even been planning to do her A-levels in English, Art and French before Jimmy Stone had happened, but he had never seen her in action.

She noticed his rather brilliant smile and blushed, ducking her head into her sketch. The Doctor's grin widened. "Good morning, Rose," he said cheerfully.

"Morning," she mumbled, starting to close the sketchpad.

"Won't you share?" he asked with a nod towards the sketchpad.

She grinned at him. "Maybe some other time," she said, putting it away in her bedside table and crawling back into bed with him.

The Doctor hummed in contentment as she straddled him and bent down to kiss him slowly. His hand was drifting to the haphazard knot holding her robe closed when they were interrupted by loud alarms blaring in the TARDIS.

They sprang away from each other and jumped out of bed, the Doctor scrambling for clean clothes before rushing out towards the console room.

Fitz met them halfway through, dressed in a half-buttoned shirt and jeans and looking shocked at the sight of the Doctor dressed only in his trousers as he rushed into the console room. Rose followed, dressed in a robe, her hair standing on end.

"What's happening?" Fitz asked.

"Not sure," answered Rose loudly over the alarms.

The Doctor was running diagnostics but couldn't see what was going on with the TARDIS. He finally decided to simply take them out of the vortex and spun the randomiser for coordinates, any coordinates, that would land them somewhere. The TARDIS landed quite roughly but the alarms stopped ringing, plunging them in silence.

"What was all that about?" asked Rose.

"She seems agitated by something," said the Doctor as he stroked the time rotor. "I have landed her, but I must see what's troubling her so much."

"I'll make tea," said Rose as she went towards the kitchen, knowing that the Doctor would not be satisfied until he knew for certain what was wrong with the TARDIS.

Fitz finished buttoning up his shirt and turned to the Doctor. "Any idea where you've landed us?" he asked curiously.

The Doctor cast a cursory glance at the smaller scanner. "Rome, 2010 A.D.," he answered. "Quite ordinary as far as time periods get."

Fitz, on the other hand, was fascinated. "Rome in the future? Can we go out?" he asked eagerly.

"I have to see what's wrong with the TARDIS," said the Doctor, returning his attention back to the TARDIS. "You're welcome to go exploring, as long as you try not to change history or interfere into anything."

"Fine by me," said Fitz, already at the doors. "Rose! You coming?"

Rose entered the console room, balancing a tray of tea in her hands. "Nah, go ahead. I'll be out in a bit with the Doctor." Fitz tossed her a jaunty salute and stepped outside. Rose sighed and glanced at the Doctor. "He'll be alright, won't he?"

"Yes, I expect so," said the Doctor taking the cup of tea she gave him. "Pass me the laser spanner, will you?"

~

Fitz grinned widely as he walked out of the TARDIS. It was a cool evening in Rome, and he could hear people chanting something in the distance.

He left the small wooded area where the TARDIS had landed and went towards the light of civilisation. As he got closer, he smelled the familiar scent of smoke, alcohol and crowds. After the bizarre places they'd visited, the familiar smell sent a thrill down his spine.

He had meant what he had told the Doctor; he really did want to see more, but sometimes a glimpse of familiarity could do wonders for the feeling of homesickness. He wondered if Rose ever had that, but for some reason he was certain that she didn't. Sometimes it seemed like she was even more of a stranger to this world than the Doctor, though he couldn't explain why.

"We've won! Here, mate!"

Fitz jumped in surprise as the enthusiastic man thrust a bottle of beer in his hand and went off into the crowds. Fitz drank some of the beer and looked around, wondering what they'd won. As soon as he saw the FIFA scarfs and banners, he understood.

Looked like Italy had won the World Cup. Briefly, he wondered if England had ever won the damn thing but was positive that they would not have. _Incompetent bastards_ , he thought, drinking more of the beer.

"You got a light?" he asked a man jumping up and down next to him.

He shouted something loudly, and Fitz realised that the man was too far gone to even realise what a light was. Pretty much everyone in the crowd was inebriated enough to feel it painfully in the morning. Fitz put the cigarette between his lips and started hunting for matches himself, when someone held a light in front of him.

Fitz looked at the man who had offered, and nearly dropped the cigarette. Jesus, he was attractive. He also seemed to be pretty sober compared to everyone around them, and was wearing a long navy coat that reminded him of old soldiers from back in the war.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he said flirtatiously, to Fitz's slightly vacant look in his direction. "And who are you?"

~

"Slow down, would you?" smirked Rose in amusement as the Doctor wolfed down another slice of bread slathered with jam.

He waited until he swallowed his last bite to speak. "I apologise, I seem to have a renewed appetite following the spectral beam and of course, coitus."

Rose turned pink and sipped her tea to hide the ridiculously huge smile on her face. She loved how easily he acknowledged it. She had been half-expecting things to be different between them now but the Doctor was radiating nothing but a quiet happiness that she was mirroring. It was wonderful.

She was brought out of her reverie by the Doctor smacking his fist against the console and being rewarded by a shower of indignant sparks from the TARDIS. Sighing, she walked up to him and slipped her arms around his waist, pressing herself against his bare back. "What's wrong?" she asked patiently.

"Nothing," he said, relaxing a bit but still sounding frustrated.

"What do you mean?" asked Rose, brow furrowing a bit as she nuzzled his shoulder.

"I've checked and rechecked," he explained. "But everything is fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the TARDIS."

"Then what were the alarms for?" she asked, confused.

"We may have jumped time tracks in the vortex. It happens sometimes," he said. "In any case, there's nothing wrong here so we could go and join Fitz."

"'Kay, I'll get dressed," said Rose as she moved to go back into the room only to be stopped by the Doctor tugging her close to him again.

"I said that we could, not that we had to," he said, with a slightly suggestive lilt to his voice. "Fitz can look after himself for a while."

Rose opened her mouth to disagree but the bright mischief shining in the Doctor's eyes did a splendid job of changing her mind. "Well," she conceded. "Maybe for a while."

~

"So, what brings you to Rome?"

Fitz took a swig of his beer and smiled in what he hoped was a slightly mysterious manner at Jack. "There's always something new to see here," he said. In reality it was his first ever visit to Rome but that wasn't as interesting.

Jack smiled back and took a sip of his own drink. He still had no handle on the guy, apart from the fact that he was displaying presence of Artron radiation and was quite good-looking. There were worse assignments to have, he decided, as he appraised Fitz Kreiner appreciatively.

"I agree," he said. "Even better when you've got someone to see it with you."

Fitz grinned a little. "I will take your word for it, mate," he said. "Especially since it looks like my friends won't be joining me for a while."

"Friends?" asked Jack, interested.

"Yeah, two of them. Both of them taken with each other though," he said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"You don't like being the third wheel, I guess?" he asked.

Fitz shrugged and sipped his drink without answering. Jack raised his eyebrows upon realising that he wasn't going to get an answer to that. He finished his drink and turned to Fitz. "I'm staying at a hotel down the road," said Jack. "Want to join me for another drink?"

Fitz looked him up and down with a smile playing at his lips. "Lead the way."

~

"2010 though," said Rose as they walked out into the console room fully dressed. "Not exactly 1963, is it? I'm concerned is all."

"I'm sure he will be fine," said the Doctor, opening the doors for her only to have her stop midway. "What?" he asked.

"Not 2010," said Rose with a quick look around.

The Doctor looked over her shoulder and his eyebrows rose at the dusty streets and people walking about in traditional Roman clothing. He met Rose's eyes sheepishly. "Ancient Rome," he said.

Rose shook her head with a smile. "Going to put something more appropriate on," she said, turning back to go towards the wardrobe room. "At least we realised what was wrong with the TARDIS," she called over her shoulder.

"Hmm?" asked the Doctor distractedly peering out at Ancient Rome from the doors.

"The scanner," said Rose.

"Oh, right," realised the Doctor. "Must have been," he added with a frown.

~

"'S no' tha' I don' like it," slurred Fitz. "'S weird 's all."

"I hear you," said Jack, still quite sober unlike his drinking partner. "Last time I was partnered with a couple, I just joined them."

Fitz squinted at him and burst into drunken giggles. "I wouldn' mind tha'," he said. "Bu' the Doctor and Rose, they're different," he said seriously, suddenly a lot more focused.

Jack sat up at that. "The Doctor and Rose Tyler?" he asked eagerly.

Fitz straightened up too, but for an entirely different reason. "How did you know that?" he demanded. "I never said her last name." He glanced quickly around the hotel room as if looking for an escape.

"Calm down," said Jack, gauging his reaction. "I don't want to hurt them, I promise. They're old friends of mine. I just wanted to see them."

"Did you know about me too then?" asked Fitz, getting his feet a bit unsteadily. "That why I am here?"

"No," said Jack, standing up too. "I was scanning for time travellers and you lit up. Look, I work with the Time Lords," he said, showing him his wrist where his vortex manipulator was displaying his credentials as an Agent of the Celestial Intervention Agency. "I don't mean harm to the Doctor and Rose. I am just here to find them."

Fitz watched the sincerity on his face and despite the anger and hurt he was feeling, he gave a small nod. "What's the Celestial Whatever Agency?" he asked.

Jack closed the vortex manipulator and sat down. "It is a Time Lord organisation. Sort of like an intergalactic law enforcement body."

Fitz nodded and stumbled into his chair. "And what do they want with the Doctor and Rose?" he asked.

Jack hesitated but Fitz had crossed his arms and was clearly expecting an answer. "If you take me to them, I'll tell you," he said.

"No," said Fitz firmly, sounding a lot braver than he was feeling. "Not unless I'm sure you're not here to hurt them."

"I'm not," said Jack honestly. "I just want to deliver a message, I swear."

It was Fitz's turn to hesitate. He could take him back to the TARDIS easily but he couldn't be sure if he would harm him or the Doctor and Rose if he did. At the same time, he was reluctant to doubt the man's sincerity since he seemed quite genuine. "Fine," he said finally. "Let's go."

Jack smiled broadly at him and held out his hand for Fitz to shake. Fitz hesitated briefly but then shook his hand firmly.

The two men left the hotel and walked back to where they had first met. The celebrations were still going on in full force despite it being close to midnight. Fitz could feel the effects of alcohol dwindling down which he was grateful for. Jack already had a massive advantage over him in terms of size and fighting prowess if he was part of some fancy Time Lord agency. Fitz was still not fully convinced of Jack's intentions, and needed to be ready to defend himself if things soured. Or at least, be capable of running for his life without bumping into a goddamn tree because of his drunkenness.

"How much further?" asked Jack.

"Just round here," said Fitz, as he parted the branches to the clearing where he knew the TARDIS was. "After you."

Jack raised his eyebrows but stepped into the clearing and stopped short. Fitz came up from behind him and felt his mouth open.

The clearing was empty.


	39. The Roman Invasion: Fixed Points

_Previously_

_"How much further?" asked Jack._

_"Just round here," said Fitz, as he parted the branches to the clearing where he knew the TARDIS was. "After you."_

_Jack raised his eyebrows but stepped into the clearing and stopped short. Fitz came up from behind him and felt his mouth open._

_The clearing was empty._

Jack looked at Fitz and saw the dumbstruck look on his face. "I don't understand," Fitz mumbled, blinking rapidly. "It was right here."

"You sure?" asked Jack sceptically, obviously thinking that he was still inebriated enough to have got them lost in the small wooded area.

"'Course I'm sure," snapped Fitz, sounding uncharacteristically irritated. He raised his eyebrows at Jack. "How do I know you had nothing to do with this?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I said I meant them no harm. Besides, I was with you the whole time remember?" he pointed out.

Fitz didn't reply but silently admitted that Jack had a point. He walked further into the clearing and looked at the ground. "The ground's disturbed," he said.

Jack followed him and examined the near perfect square border that had disturbed the ground. Fitz was right; the TARDIS had been here.

"They wouldn't just have taken off, right?" asked Fitz, almost afraid to think what he would do if that was true.

"No, I don't think so," said Jack, fiddling with the vortex manipulator on his wrist. "Something's wrong here."

"What do you mean?" asked Fitz.

Jack sighed and met Fitz's eyes. "I told you I had a message for the Doctor and Rose, didn't I? Well, I do, but that's not the only reason why I am here in this universe. So tell me, Fitz, what do you know of fixed points in time?"

~

"I can't believe I was worried about early 21st century," said Rose as they walked hand-in-hand through the marketplace. "Wouldn't his clothes seem out of place in Ancient Rome?"

The Doctor smiled a little as he held up a bolt of silky pink fabric that the vendor was trying to sell him. "It's Rome, Rose Tyler," he said. "People come here from all over the place. The locals have all but stopped being shocked at anything."

Rose chuckled at that, but glanced around for Fitz either way. Whatever the Doctor said, she wouldn't stop worrying about him. He was still so new to all this. She absently touched the pink fabric that the vendor was convincing the Doctor to buy for her and was surprised at its coarseness. The purple toga that she was currently wearing was definitely a lot softer and lighter than the cloth they were being shown.

"It's Venusian silk that you're wearing," said the Doctor, answering her unasked question as they walked away from the stall after politely declining to buy the fabric. "Much better than what you would find on Earth."

Rose nodded as she played with the soft fabric of her toga. "Do you miss it?" she asked, her voice strangely quiet.

"What?" asked the Doctor, brow furrowing as he looked at her.

"The other universe. Travelling beyond Earth," she said, looking at him questioningly.

"Do you?" he asked, watching carefully for her reaction.

Rose sighed. "Yeah, I mean I miss my mum. I miss talking to Amy and Rory on the phone. I also miss those gorgeous chips we would get on Kukura Alpha. But, I am fine here. Do you know what I mean?"

The Doctor's gaze softened as he brought their clasped hands to his lips. "Yes, of course I do," he said gently. "It is the same for me in many ways. But I have been in this position once before and it wasn't by choice. This time, it has been my decision and I knew what I was agreeing to when I made it."

"You do know that you really didn't have to do this, right?" asked Rose.

"Yes, I did," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. "The inconvenience of restricted space travel is not even comparable to the pain of being separated from you by a whole universe. So, yes Rose Tyler, I really did have to follow you here. Because I am selfish and the alternative was too painful for me to contemplate."

Rose stared at him in shock at the declaration, and the Doctor grinned a little at the look on her face. "As for the chips on Kukura Alpha, remind me to take you to this restaurant near the New Barrier Reef in the 63rd century," he said, tugging on her hand to keep them moving through the marketplace.

She laughed in delight and impulsively leaned in to plant a kiss on his cheek. As she was pulling away, a movement caught the corner of her eye. She snapped her gaze towards it but it was just an ordinary bunch of stalls where the vendors were packing up their wares as the day was starting to dwindle down.

"What is it?" asked the Doctor.

"Just thought I saw something," said Rose, shaking her head. "Probably nothing."

The Doctor nodded, though he did glance back once or twice. "I think we ought to find Fitz. It will be night soon," he said.

"What year are we in anyway?" asked Rose curiously.

The Doctor glanced around a bit and raised his eyebrows. "Huh," he said. "This is curious."

"What?" asked Rose.

"Well, unless history has happened drastically differently in the universe which I doubt, we are around 44 B.C.," he said. "Towards the end of the Roman Republic, I should imagine. Which is quite interesting…" he stopped mid sentence and snapped around quite suddenly.

"What?" asked Rose, following his gaze but finding nothing out of the ordinary once again. "Did you see something?"

"No," he said. "Well, I don't know. It's like something's wrong. And the answer's here, just hiding out of reach. In the corner of our eyes."

Rose watched as the Doctor stood quite still but moved his eyes to glance around through the corner of his eyes. He stiffened imperceptibly. Rose mimicked his actions and felt her mouth fall open. Only a few feet away from them, were a group of men dressed in jeans and shirts, waving football banners and scarves. They appeared slightly out of focus like bad reception on telly, but they were most definitely there.

"Are they real?" asked Rose in a hushed voice.

"Yes," said the Doctor grimly. "They are completely real."

"Can't anyone else see them?" asked Rose, glancing around at all the Romans who were showing no indication of having people who were clearly from the future in their midst.

"No, they cannot," said the Doctor. "Not yet, anyway." Rose raised her eyebrows questioningly and found the Doctor looking absolutely furious. "A fixed point is about to be altered. This whole universe is in danger of collapsing in on itself."

~

"What the bleedin' hell are fixed points?" asked Fitz.

Jack rubbed his forehead in slight frustration. "Time isn't just a straight line and one of the first things you learn as a CIA Agent is that it can be twisted to take the shape and form you want. There is normal fluid time that is easy to manipulate, and temporal tipping points that are slightly trickier but still workable if you want to mould time to suit yourself. But then there are fixed points."

"And these fixed points can't be changed or something then?" asked Fitz, trying to follow his words.

"Yes," said Jack. "Changing a fixed point is not impossible, but the consequences are catastrophic. If a fixed point is ever altered, it could send entire universes collapsing on themselves."

"What's that mean?" asked Fitz, his eyes wide with fright. "We all die or something?"

"No, worse," said Jack gravely. "All of time starts happening at once. The dimensions begin to merge together and eventually it just turns into an endless loop of the whole of time happening over and over again."

Fitz gave a low whistle as he contemplated that. "So, what does it have to do with the TARDIS disappearing? The Doctor said this was pretty unremarkable as far as time periods went. Is there a fixed point here?" he asked.

Jack looked slightly impressed at his ability to grasp the facts and shook his head. "No, the TARDIS has nothing to do with it. A few days ago, the CIA picked up time disturbances from this universe. A batch of Agents was sent to investigate and their initial reports confirmed that it looked like someone or something was trying to alter a fixed point. But yesterday, we lost touch with those Agents. There is no sign of them, and the scans around here show that time is starting to bleed through. It is very likely that a powerful time entity like a TARDIS would be one of the first things to traverse through the wound."

"So, is that why you're here? To find your Agents?" asked Fitz.

Jack nodded. "We have to find out who or what is trying to alter the fixed point and stop them before they do," he said.

"And how do we do that?" asked Fitz.

Jack grinned widely at him. "Fitz Kreiner, I never thought you'd ask," he said and held out his arm.

Fitz looked from his arm to him and back before shrugging and threading his own arm through it. Jack's grin widened. "Ready?" asked Jack.

"For what?" asked Fitz, excitement bubbling through his heart despite everything.

"Good point," winked Jack as he pressed a switch on his vortex manipulator, engulfing them both in blue energy.

~

"Altering a fixed point? Who could be behind it?" asked Rose as they hurried back to the TARDIS.

"Could be any idiot with no idea how time works," said the Doctor, still quite irritable.

Rose knew that people trifling irresponsibly with time got on his nerves quite severely. When he had first explained it, she'd pointed out that they pretty much interfered with time wherever they went but he had been quick to explain that he was a Time Lord and therefore aware of the nature of time better than any other race in the universe. Rose had to admit that he was right, considering the number of times he had stopped them from interfering when he knew that there was a fixed point or a particularly dangerous temporal tipping point in the vicinity of when they had landed.

Considering all that she had learned ever since meeting the Doctor, Rose knew how dangerous time travel actually was to the universe as a whole. Time travellers had to be responsible and while she disliked the rather rigid rules of the Time Lords, she could see why they were necessary. What was to stop someone with an access to a TARDIS from changing history so drastically that it would lead to a worse future or a future that was so unpredictable that it turned destructive.

However, it was one thing to be told about the dangers of altering fixed points and quite another to be witnessing the consequences of one. The presence of the out-of-focus future people had unsettled Rose. It felt wrong; like a large jagged rock in an otherwise smooth flowing river.

"What about Fitz?" she asked as they neared the TARDIS. "Shouldn't we warn him?"

"I don't think Fitz is here," said the Doctor grimly. "The scanner might not have malfunctioned at all. There was nothing wrong with the TARDIS this morning. She was trying to warn us about this. He might very well be in 2010 after all."

Rose digested this bit of information but before she could ask him more, they reached the spot where the TARDIS was waiting for them.

"Oh thank Rassilon," said the Doctor as he ran to it. "Nothing's tried to pull you into an abyss yet, eh old girl?" he murmured fondly, patting the exterior of the blue box.

He started to unlock the TARDIS but the doors wouldn't open. Rose's brow furrowed as the Doctor struggled with the key to get the TARDIS unlocked. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh no, no, no, no," said the Doctor. "Not now. Come on, not now."

"Doctor, what happened?" asked Rose sharply.

"She won't let us in. Not when time is bleeding like this," he said, slamming his fists none too gently on the doors.

Rose pulled his hands away from the TARDIS and met his gaze squarely. "How do we fix this?" she asked calmly.

The Doctor relaxed a little and ran a hand through his hair. "We have to find the fixed point and make sure that it's not altered. There is still time to fix this."

"Good, okay," said Rose, glad that he was thinking of a way out and not just losing his temper over it. "Can you track the fixed point without the TARDIS?"

"Yes, but it might take time," he said. "Using my time sense without the TARDIS guiding me would be like finding a needle in a haystack without a handy magnet to help you."

"Oi! What the hell is this?!"

The Doctor and Rose snapped around to find a young Roman man, staring drunkenly at the TARDIS. He had dark curly hair and wore robes of very good quality despite his drunken state.

"Ah, you see this is just a piece of art that Rose and I were admiring," said the Doctor with a smile. "I'm the Doctor, by the way, and this is Rose Tyler."

The man blinked blearily at them before smiling. "Wonderful to meet you, Doctor and Rose Tyler," he said. "Mark Antony, at your service." He tried to do an odd bow but ended up losing his balance.

"Are you alright?" asked Rose as she moved to help him but he waved it away as he stood up without her help.

"Oh, I am spectacular, Lady Rose," he said, sounding ecstatic. "Tomorrow will be the most glorious that Rome has ever seen. I could not be happier!"

"Really?" asked the Doctor with interest.

"Oh yes indeed," said Mark Antony. "The Gods themselves have blessed this. Everyone in our generations to come will remember the Ides of March."

"Sorry, did you just say the Ides of March?" asked the Doctor, his eyes wide.

Mark Antony nodded vigorously. "The Ides of March, Doctor. It will be the glorious and wondrous tomorrow that shall see Caesar defeat his treacherous senators and rule Rome for all of time."


	40. The Roman Invasion: The Zygons

_Previously_

_"Oh, I am spectacular, Lady Rose," he said, sounding ecstatic. "Tomorrow will be the most glorious that Rome has ever seen. I could not be happier!"_

_"Really?" asked the Doctor with interest._

_"Oh yes indeed," said Mark Antony. "The Gods themselves have blessed this. Everyone in our generations to come will remember the Ides of March."_

_"Sorry, did you just say the Ides of March?" asked the Doctor, his eyes wide._

_Mark Antony nodded vigorously. "The Ides of March, Doctor. It will be the glorious and wondrous tomorrow that shall see Caesar defeat his treacherous senators and rule Rome for all of time."_

Rose blinked at his words. History may not have been her strongest suit but she knew that Caesar had been assassinated by his Senators on the Ides of March and as far as she knew, he had not been aware of their intentions going in. She looked at the Doctor who, to her greatest surprise, was smiling.

"That is splendid to hear indeed," said the Doctor pleasantly. "Now, if you shall excuse us, Lady Rose and I must retire for the night."

Mark Antony saluted him sloppily as he stumbled off, mumbling under his breath. Rose waited until he was out of earshot to look at the Doctor, whose face had gone stony. "Come on," he said, trying to open the TARDIS doors again.

Rose wanted to point out that the TARDIS was hardly likely to change her mind in five minutes but stopped when she realised that a group of people had emerged through the darkness and surrounded them and the TARDIS. The group consisted of both men and women dressed in Roman clothing yet holding sonic blasters of the sort that Rose remembered Amy carrying.

"Doctor," said Rose, nudging the Time Lord who snapped around and went still at the sight of the strangers.

"You will come with us," said the apparent leader of the group, a beautiful dark-haired woman dressed in resplendent scarlet and gold clothing.

"Will we?" asked the Doctor, sounding as incredulous as he could. "Now why would we do that?"

"Yes, you will," she said. "Both of you. Because you are the ones standing at the wrong end of several sonic blasters. Come on now, move!"

"Where exactly is it that we are going?" asked the Doctor, as he and Rose were shepherded through one of the numerous side alleys.

"Please tell me it isn't to an orgy," said Rose, noticing the Doctor's smirk out of the corner of her eyes.

"Ah, the ever popular Roman orgies. A fabulous myth, my darling," said the Doctor, catching on quite quickly. "Historians of your time have had us believe that they were more common than they actually were."

"Doesn't stop people from using it as an example of how we as a society have become sexually repressed," said Rose, noting with some satisfaction that their prattle was bothering their captors. _A group of people bearing 51st century weaponry who got uncomfortable at the notion of sex? Hardly likely to be the genuine article._

"Surely there are still orgies taking place in your time," said the Doctor, still apparently interested in the conversation. "Albeit in secret, I expect."

"'Course yeah. Shareen dated this really rich bloke for a while who took her to this big R rated lock and key party," said Rose.

"Lock and key parties?" asked the Doctor with great interest that sounded genuine even to Rose.

"Yeah, it's really quite simple. At the beginning of the party, all the women get a lock that they were around their necks. The men get the keys…"

"Shut up!" Their captors had finally had enough.

The Doctor took personal offence at having the opportunity to learn something new snatched from him. He opened his mouth indignantly but stopped when he recognised the structure that they were being led to.

The Theatre of Pompey.

~

"Idda, they are here."

Idda looked up from her work station and checked the security feed. Parla, or rather Porcia whom she was currently disguised as, gave her the signal. Idda immediately operated the transmat mechanism that brought their party and their two prisoners down into the ship.

"Fascinating," said the male humanoid prisoner, looking around the organic red ship. "I had no idea it was you lot who had come down here. Well no, that's not quite true," he amended. "I knew that something had taken over these CIA Agents, I just didn't know that it was simply you lot who had taken their forms instead."

Idda watched Porcia's nostrils flare in anger as the female prisoner looked at her companion. 

"What do you mean? Who are they?" she asked.

"We are the Zygons," said Porcia.

"You lot are far from home you are," said the Doctor. "What's the matter? Get the urge for some more bloodshed and conquering?"

"Our form of conquest rarely involves bloodshed, Time Lord," said Porcia disdainfully.

"No, you'd rather just keep the people like that and take over their lives instead," he said furiously, glancing over at the row of CIA Agents standing still as if in a trance with a web of organic red matter binding them together.

"Are they dead, Doctor?" asked the female prisoner.

"No, they are kept in stasis, Rose," answered the Doctor. "They need the originals alive to sustain the copies." He glanced back at the humans and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, but these are not all CIA Agents. There are Roman senators here, even some of their wives."

"It was necessary," said Porcia.

"Ah yes, for your big plan I suppose," said the Doctor, his voice rising. "Preventing Caesar's assassination, are you? And then what? Replace him with one of your own?"

"Yes, quite," said Porcia, looking quite unperturbed. "This is a primitive age in mankind's history, but with such a grand civilisation at our fingertips, we can mould it for ourselves. Think of it, Time Lord. How much farther this world will develop once we have control of it! These people, these primitives, they still believe in gods and magic. They shall learn of technology and industry. This civilisation shall flourish, Doctor! And we intend to make it so!"

"You can't do that," gasped Rose, looking at Porcia in disbelief. "That's like cheating. You can't just jump ahead and not let it evolve naturally. It would destroy history!"

"Couldn't have put it better myself, Rose," said the Doctor, glaring at Porcia. "Oh, haven't you noticed what your little meddling trick is doing to the web of time? The future is starting to crack and time is bleeding through. You are altering a fixed point in time. Do you understand that at all?" he demanded.

"Typical Time Lord hogwash," snapped Idda, speaking for the first time.

The Doctor's gaze snapped to her. "I beg your pardon?" he asked incredulously.

"These Celestial Intervention Agents came here," said Idda. "And you talk to us about non interference?"

"They must have come here to prevent the hole you were about to make through the web of time," said the Doctor. "The Agency's sensors pick up these things."

"Oh, I know they do," said Idda, dropping the Time Agent's form and reverting to the Zygon appearance. Next to the Doctor, Rose jumped in surprise at the sight of the Zygon and the raspy voice that it spoke in. "The Time Lords and their army of these human puppets sit atop their high thrones and traverse the multiverse as they please. Thwarting any progress or change that might threaten their position of power, crushing civilisations who might one day grow to challenge them, and changing history as they please. I say, no more! And we are not alone in that, Doctor. There are races upon races in the multiverse that tire of the Time Lords' dominance and their corrupt rules. If you are correct about the alteration of a fixed point sending ripples through the universe, I would say: let it be so!"

~

When Fitz had been eight, he remembered running away from Max Shaw and his bunch of cronies. In his haste, he had climbed up a tree in crabby Mrs. Jackson's yard. Max had lost his trail but Fitz had slipped and fallen from the tree and hit his head. On hearing the ruckus in her yard, Mrs. Jackson had come running out and started walloping him with her walking stick for falling on top of her agapanthuses.

Fitz had stumbled home with a concussion and bruises on his arms but his mum had been in one of her moods and hadn't even noticed her son throwing up in the loo for hours. Bruised and concussed, Fitz hadn't been completely well for a week after that.

Yet all that did not compare to the feeling of travelling in time without a proper capsule. As soon as his feet touched solid ground, Fitz was down on all fours, dry heaving.

He felt Jack rub his back as he tried to force back the sick feeling rising in his throat. Suddenly, he was very very thankful for the TARDIS.

"You okay?" asked Jack in concern as Fitz stopped dry heaving, though he remained on all fours.

"Yeah, fine," gasped Fitz, finally raising his gaze from the ground. It was daytime where they were, and as far as Fitz could guess, they were either on the set of a film or Ancient Rome. Judging by the lack of cameras (not to mention, the smell) they were in Ancient Rome. "Where are we?" he asked, using Jack's hand to haul himself to his feet.

"Rome, 44 B.C.," said Jack with a glance at his vortex manipulator. "This is the closest I could narrow it down too."

"What do we do now? We can't go running off around Rome looking for the Doctor and Rose," said Fitz.

"Fair point," said Jack absently, still fiddling with the vortex manipulator.

"Can't you track your agents in some way?" asked Fitz.

"Usually I can, but whatever's happened to them, it's made it so I can't find them," he said, sounding frustrated. "Ah, oh no."

"What?" asked Fitz.

"I just found what today is," said Jack. "It's the Ides of March."

~

Publius Servilius Casca Longus had been preparing for this day for a while now. He loved Caesar, he really did, but he had to go. Rome did not need a despot like him. Caesar's time was up, and after today, he would no longer be a hurdle.

He held the dagger in front of him, and admired the light as it glinted off the blade. It had never seen blood, newly forged as it was, but today it would be drenched in the blood of Caesar, the first stream of blood that shall shed from him. Casca could hardly wait.

Lost in his daydreams, he missed it as a shadow crossed the window. In the very next moment, a huge, red creature with suckers all over it darted at him. Casca screamed as the vile creature towered over him, looking at him with beady, scornful eyes.

"Great Gods, save me!" yelled Casca.

He did not know what would happen, but his prayers were answered as two bolts of blue light hit the creature who crumpled to the floor. Casca looked for his saviour and found two men with the oddest clothing standing over the creature.

"You saved me!" said Casca, hardly believing the events that had transpired.

The two men were not paying attention to him. "What is it?" asked the younger man with the long hair.

"A Zygon," answered the other one. "Shapeshifting creatures." Abruptly, he turned to Casca and smiled widely. "Senator Casca? Would you like some wine?" he asked, holding out the oddest metal flask Casca had ever seen.

Casca reckoned that they really had to be gods. How else would they know his name? He accepted the wine without question and gulped it down rapidly. Halfway through his third sip, the flask slipped from his fingers as Casca tumbled to the floor, unconscious.

"What in the hell was in that drink?" asked Fitz, picking up the flask.

"Retcon," said Jack, taking the flask and pocketing it. "He won't remember the last hour or so when he wakes up. No point in him thinking he had a great big thing with suckers attack him."

"Is it dead?" asked Fitz, poking the Zygon with his toe.

"Stunned," said Jack. "We are going to need it to show us to the Doctor and Rose, and my agents. Come on, let's revive him."

~

"So, if Caesar knows he's going to be killed, why are they copying the Senators?" asked Rose as she and the Doctor sat in their cell. For some reason, the Zygons had not copied them but kept them prisoner for what felt like hours now.

"At a guess? I should think they want to make sure that their plan succeeds. I have never met Julius Caesar in this universe, but if he is anything like the one in the other one, he would manage to get himself killed even if he knew it was coming," said the Doctor.

"Why wouldn't they just send a duplicate Caesar instead?" asked Rose.

"And sacrifice one of their own? Zygons are many things, Rose, but they do not betray their kind. Not for anything," he said.

"Unlike us," muttered Rose. She shook her head at the Doctor's concerned look. "So, what happens? Caesar goes in and no one kills him?"

"Most likely, he dismisses the lot of them," said the Doctor. "He was well on his way to becoming a dictator. Treason of this kind will give him ground to usurp the power he has always craved."

"And history changes," said Rose. "What are we going to do?"

"Idda! There's something wrong!"

The Doctor and Rose looked away from each other and saw Porcia bustling over to Idda who was in the form of her husband Marcus Brutus. "What?" asked Idda.

"More time travellers," said Porcia. "The scanners say there are two more."

"Two?" murmured Rose in surprise but the Doctor shushed her as they eavesdropped on Idda and Porcia's conversation.

Idda growled. "More of them! But, no matter. Noon approaches and the hour is here. They shall be too late to stop it. Time is changing, and CAESAR SHALL LIVE!"


	41. The Roman Invasion: Ides of March

_Previously_

_"More time travellers," said Porcia. "The scanners say there are two more."_

_"Two?" murmured Rose in surprise but the Doctor shushed her as they eavesdropped on Idda and Porcia._

_Idda growled. "More of them! But, no matter. Noon approaches and the hour is here. They shall be too late to stop it. Time is changing, and CAESAR SHALL LIVE!"_

Nyda was a young Zygon, the youngest in the present Zygon fleet. This invasion force sent to Earth was her first mission away from Zygor. Before that, she had only been a lab tech.

Her orders had been simple. Get to Senator Casca's house, knock him out, and bring him back to the ship. In theory, it had been simple enough.

She remembered towering over the cowering Senator before being hit by crippling pain. As she regained consciousness now, she realised that she was bound and her red skin had been marred by white wound gashes. Wincing in pain, she straightened up a little and found herself looking right at her captors.

She growled in anger, trying not to show just how much it was hurting her.

"Stop struggling. You'll only make the injury worse," said the taller human with the cold blue eyes who had a sonic blaster holstered to his belt. _Another CIA Agent, perhaps a senior one who had come in search of his people_ , Nyda surmised.

The other human standing behind him was staring at her with undisguised horror and unless she was truly mistaken, some pity. She snarled with even more anger. She did not need his pity.

"I said, stop it!" the first one snapped angrily.

She considered doing it again just to defy him but she truly was in too much pain. She stopped struggling, though she did regard him with a look of pure loathing.

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness of the Celestial Intervention Agency, that's my associate Fitz Kreiner. What's your name?" he asked.

"Nyda," she spat.

"Where are my people?" asked the Captain in the same cold voice that he had been speaking in before.

Nyda growled but didn't answer. The Captain took his sonic blaster from his belt and pointed it at her. Nyda flinched, remembering the injuries she had already sustained. If she didn't get help soon, she would surely die. But she couldn't, wouldn't, help them. "They're dead!" she screamed. "They're all dead!"

The other human, Fitz, gasped in horror and Nyda gained some satisfaction from his pain before the Captain rolled his eyes. "You were in a CIA Agent's form when you made your way to Casca's house. Do you think you're dealing with amateurs here? Zygons can't copy anyone's form unless you have them in your stasis chambers."

Nyda glared at him but didn't say anything. The Captain rolled his eyes. "You must have those chambers somewhere safe. Probably still in your ship. So, where's your ship?" he asked.

Nyda stayed silent. She was not a traitor and she would rather die than betray her fellow Zygons. She looked down and kept quiet, waiting for the blast of pain that would be meant to make her talk.

Instead of that happening, the Captain holstered his weapon and strode over to her. Nyda flinched, knowing that humans had many ways of inflicting pain without the use of a blaster. She braced herself for it, when Fitz spoke for the first time.

"Whoa! Stop it," he said, looking a bit shocked at the sight of Jack advancing on the Zygon. The alien was repulsive and had possibly harmed the Doctor and Rose, not to mention countless CIA Agents, but Fitz wasn't going to see her tortured.

Jack turned around and raised his eyebrows at Fitz. "We don't have long," he said. "If Caesar survives, you cannot even imagine the consequences," he said sharply.

"But you can't torture her!" said Fitz, looking at Nyda's skin where the white gashes looking very painful.

"Torture?" asked Jack, astonished. "I'm not going to torture her!" He sounded furious and appalled. "I'm going to take her transmat bracelet. With luck, it will have the ship's location."

"Oh," said Fitz, feeling a bit foolish at having assumed the worst. "Right, go ahead then."  
Nyda, who had been looking slightly hopeful, started to struggle again but the Captain's grip was firm on her hand as he examined the transmat bracelet on her wrist. "Got it," he said, releasing her wrist.

"Where is it?" asked Fitz.

Jack looked at his vortex manipulator where the location had appeared. "Oh, you have to be kidding me," he said.

"Why? Is it somewhere weird?" asked Fitz curiously.

"I guess you could say that," said Jack. "It's under the Theatre of Pompey. The very place where Caesar's assassination is supposed to happen."

~

"This is so bizarre," said Rose, looking at the group of Zygons in the form of Roman senators standing around the ship. "Also, slightly creepy."

The Doctor was looking at his silver pocket watch with a frustrated look on his face. He also appeared to be periodically rubbing his head like he was in pain. Rose reached over and entwined her fingers with his free hand, hoping to calm him down. He didn't look like he had noticed, though he did squeeze her hand once. He also stopped rubbing his head in pain.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Looking at the damage," he said, snapping the pocket watch shut and hanging it back on his waistcoat. "Idda, listen to me! Don't do this, please. You are causing damage beyond anything anyone can control."

Idda paid him no mind. The Doctor growled in frustration as he turned to Rose. "It's getting out of hand. Another hour or so, and the planet's timelines will start to crumble."

"Idda, we have a breach on the outer perimeter of the ship!"

Idda looked at the security feed and saw a human dressed in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket, waving right at the camera. "Doctor! Rose! You two down there?" he asked.

"Fitz!" grinned Rose in delight.

Idda growled in anger. "Focus the blasters on his position and fire! Obliterate the human!" she ordered.

"Now, hang on," began the Doctor angrily but abruptly went quiet.

Rose looked away from the security feed and turned to the Doctor, only to have him cover her mouth with his hand. Good thing he had done it too, since Rose had let out an involuntary gasp at seeing Captain Jack Harkness standing right behind him.

Rose's eyes widened as the Doctor gently dropped his hand from her mouth. Jack winked at her, looking just the same as ever. He looked at the Doctor and passed him something that Rose couldn't see.

"Make a wish, Rose," whispered the Doctor in her ear.

Rose shut her eyes at once. There was an explosion of bright light that she felt even with her eyes closed. She kept her eyes tightly closed though, as the Zygons started to scream. The Doctor squeezed her hand and she opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the still bright light that had engulfed the room.

"Just a distraction," said the Doctor as he unlocked the cell door with his sonic screwdriver.

All around the ship, the Zygons were looking disoriented enough that they didn't even think about using their weapons as the Doctor marched over to the web of organic red matter holding the CIA Agents and the real Roman senators captive. He fiddled with the control panel on the ship's wall next to them, and with a loud wail, the Zygons reverted back to their original form.

The captive CIA Agents and Roman senators started waking up slowly, looking bewildered at their surroundings.

"Rose, get the senators out!" yelled the Doctor, as the Zygons began to get their bearings back.

Quick as she could, Rose started ushering the Roman senators towards the transmat spot that she knew came out to the top near the Theatre. They were still in a bit of a daze, which made her job easier.

Once away from the Zygon ship, she left the senators inside the Theatre and ran to find Fitz. He appeared to be looking for her and sighed in relief when he saw her.

"Oh, thank god you're okay!" he said, grabbing her into a hug.

Rose hugged him back, patting his back. "Me too," she said. "Did you come with Jack? Where did he even come from?" she asked in confusion.

"I'll explain everything," said Fitz, but pulled her behind one of the columns quickly as he saw Senator Casca approaching the Theatre. "But I think it's time for history to happen."

Down in the Zygon ship, the CIA Agents were free of the Zygon influence and had regained control quite quickly. Jack was currently directing the surrender of the Zygons. Seeing that Jack had it under control, the Doctor hurried up to the Theatre to find Fitz and Rose.

He found them hiding behind a column and hurried over to them just as Julius Caesar entered the Theatre. The three of them held their breath as the senators stopped mumbling about the confusing circumstances that they had been trapped in minutes ago.

One of them approached Caesar before he could address them, and behind his back Senator Casca drew out the gleaming dagger and plunged it into his back.

Blood spurted from Caesar's back as he let out a shout of surprise. Before they knew it, practically every senator had drawn out a sharp weapon and stabbed Caesar.

As Caesar fell, the three time travellers left the gruesome scene silently. They happened upon Mark Antony who seemed to have heard the whole thing. He didn't pause to look at them, just proceeded to run into the Theatre to see what had happened for himself.

In a matter of hours, he would be addressing the people of Rome. Friends, Romans and countrymen would lend him their ears as he would speak about Caesar's fall.

The Roman Republic had fallen.

~

"...managed to convince Idda to surrender their forces," Jack was telling the Doctor as they waited near the TARDIS.

A few yards away, Fitz and Rose were sitting quietly, both more than a little shook up about the gruesome assassination that they had witnessed moments before.

"Is it always like this?" asked Fitz quietly.

"When it's bad, yeah," said Rose, her voice equally subdued.

"Don't you get scared?" asked Fitz.

"Sometimes," said Rose. "I think I've got used to it though. Which might actually be worse, now that I come to think of it."

"I don't think I can get used to it," said Fitz, shaking his head. "Just...I can't imagine ever being satisfied at someone being murdered. I know we didn't stab him ourselves, but we might as well have considering everything we did to make sure that he died today."

"It's history," said Rose, though her words sounded slightly hollow. "It was always going to happen whether we had been here or not."

"But we were here," said Fitz insistently. "Saying it is history is just an excuse, Rose, and I think you know that."

Rose sighed and shook her head. "It's not that simple, Fitz. Sometimes we can't change time, however much we want to," she said. She noticed Fitz shaking his head bitterly, and looked down at her hands. "This one time, I asked the Doctor to take me to see my Dad. He died when I was only a baby, but I really wanted to see him, you know. See what he was like and all."

Fitz looked at her in interest, listening to her words curiously. "What happened?" he asked.

"The Doctor refused to take me there," she said.

"Why?" asked Fitz astonished.

"He said it wouldn't be a good thing," said Rose. "I was mad at him for that. Didn't speak to him for two days. Then, he explained it to me. The past is always trickier than the future. Especially historic events or personal history. I didn't understand what he meant at the time, but the longer I stayed, the more I understood. He was right not to take me back. I cannot say for sure that I would have been able to stop myself from trying to save my Dad. If I had, the consequences would have been...catastrophic."

"It still doesn't excuse us standing by as a man is murdered," said Fitz stubbornly.

"No, it doesn't," said Rose. "But that is something that we have to live with. Just remember that the alternative was the loss of countless other lives and the destruction of Earth's future."

"Guess so," said Fitz. He glanced at the Doctor and Jack who were talking in hushed tones. "Think Jack fancies me?"

Rose chuckled at the abrupt change in topic. She still couldn't understand how Fitz could go from being a sensitive and thoughtful individual, to a shallow cad in an instant.

"Jack pretty much fancies everyone, or so the Doctor will have you believe," said Rose. "You should have met Amy. Flirted with anything with a pulse she did, until she and Rory realised how much they liked each other," she added, feeling a pang in her heart as she thought of her friends who were a whole universe away. "It's what our lot turned into in the future," she explained, inserting some cheer into her voice.

"That's a future I can get behind," said Fitz with a wink. "Or under, over, around. I'm not picky."

Rose giggled and pushed his shoulder playfully. "Come on Romeo, back to the TARDIS with you. Might even catch a snog with Jack if you're keen," she said as they both jumped to their feet and dusted off.

Fitz grinned wolfishly as he looked at Jack. "Oh, I am definitely keen."

~

While Fitz and Rose had been talking, the Doctor and Jack had been talking about the Zygons. 

As per the agreement that Jack got Idda to make, the CIA would be confiscating their ship and transporting them back to Zygor. If any further attempts were made to alter timelines, they would face the most severe consequences.

The Doctor had been quiet all along, though he did ask the one thing that was bothering him. "I assume you were sent to fetch your Agents," he said, looking at Jack. "But how did you know to look for us or Fitz?"

Jack sighed. "I had a message for you," he said, lowering his voice. "It's from the Lord Burner."

The Doctor went rigid and his eyes blazed with anger. "The Lord Burner?" he asked, his lips barely moving as he spoke.

Jack looked a bit taken aback at the reaction but gave a slight nod. "He sends a warning. About Rose," said Jack.

The Doctor inhaled slowly, eyes still blazing with anger. "Understood," he said. He relaxed a little, and gave a nod. "Give my regards to my brother. Tell him I appreciate the warning."

"Of course," smirked Jack.

The Doctor nodded stiffly as Rose and Fitz approached them. Jack grinned at them. "Well, it was nice running into you again, Doc, Rose. Fitz, it was nice to meet you," he said.

"You too," said Rose as she gave him a hug.

Fitz grinned at him and held out his hand to shake. Jack laughed and took his hand to pull him into a kiss. Fitz was frozen for a moment at the unexpected kiss on his lips but it only took a split second for him to return the kiss with equal fervour.

By the time they had both pulled away, their breathing was a bit laboured. Jack winked at Fitz. "Till we meet again, Fitz Kreiner," he said, releasing his hand.

"Yeah, same," said Fitz, sounding a bit dazed as Jack fiddled with the vortex manipulator. With a charming grin at Fitz, he vanished into the blue energy light.

Fitz glanced around and realised that the Doctor and Rose had gone inside the TARDIS while he and Jack had been ahem, saying goodbye.

With a bashful but satisfied grin, he slipped into the TARDIS through the ajar doors. There were definite perks to time travel after all.

~

Rose closed her eyes blissfully and tried to get her breathing under control as she felt the Doctor flop down next to her, his breathing sounding a bit laboured too. The bright orange suns shone down upon them, the simulated heat feeling like the real thing except that Rose knew it wouldn't give her a tan unless the Doctor or the TARDIS changed the setting on it. She opened her eyes and saw the lazy sway of the silver leaves above them. The toga that she had worn in Ancient Rome was thrown off to the side, a pool of silky purple fabric against the red grass.

"Hello," said the Doctor, smiling at the sight of her flushed face and swollen lips.

"Hello," she said, reaching over to trace the mark she had made on his neck.

The Doctor grabbed her roaming hand and kissed her fingers. He thought she was beautiful like this, all pink and yellow against the red grass, with the orange glow from the twin suns shining down upon her. He vowed to himself that he would really make love to her like this on Gallifrey at least once in her lifetime. The other Time Lords could bugger off with their tutting and disapproval.

She cuddled into his side and he kissed her head as he held her close. The bond was still on the edges, sated for the time being but not complete yet. He traced gentle words on her arm, smiling when she squirmed at the ticklish sensation.

"Rose," he said, determined to tell her about the bond.

"Hmm?" she asked, cuddling closer into his chest.

"There is something I have to tell you," he said. "It's about the time I saved you from Cassandra. I don't know how much of it you remember, or if you remember anything at all but...there is this thing I did to save you. It wasn't a bad thing," he said hastily. "I don't regret it at all. But it was...Rose?" he looked down at her when there was no response from her to anything he had said.

Rose was fast asleep, the exhaustion of their adventure and love-making catching up to her. He smiled ruefully and cuddled her closer. The bond was only a little of what he wanted to tell her. 

Braxiatel had risked a lot by sending Jack to them with a warning. He had disobeyed his vows as the Lord Burner, though the Doctor doubted that the orders had come through legitimate channels. They were safe for the time being, but he had to tell Rose soon. He wouldn't repeat his mistakes of the past.

He kissed her temple and decided to have a kip himself.

There was still time.


	42. The Deadly Auction: The Corsair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the information about the Corsair comes from Neil Gaiman in the Brilliant Book 2012. The face claim for her is Janina Gavankar.

She was in her TARDIS when she got the recall message from Gallifrey. She looked over at her current companion who was a temperamental Siamese cat from Filigree III that she had named Ortan, solely to annoy the current Castellan on the High Council of Time Lords.

Ortan was snuggled into the only part of her TARDIS where the bit of seat was just warm enough with a slight breeze keeping it from being too hot. The Corsair envied the spot but she didn't begrudge it to Ortan. Ortan had been instrumental in helping her escape from Clarkor Nine. Not her fault that the Daleks did not appreciate their plungers and whisks being taken away and then entangled to spell something rather rude in Skarosian.

The Corsair allowed herself a small smile before she turned to respond to the call. She would deny all responsibility, of course. _No, Madam President, it is completely inaccurate. I was never in the vicinity of Clarkor Nine, nor do I have any knowledge of a Dalek Scout Ship. Not at all._

"What do you say, Ortan? Want to go and piss off your namesake even more?" she asked.

Ortan flicked his tail lazily and did not even deign to bestow her with a meow. He had no interest in the Corsair's chatter and generally tended to ignore her. The only time he truly felt affectionate towards her was during feeding times, though he was certain that he only needed another month before he could figure out the food machine for himself.

"Alright, you lazy feline," she said, flicking the switches on her TARDIS console to take them to Gallifrey. "Wait till I land us in water again."

Ortan shot her a look of pure boredom before stalking off deeper into the TARDIS with dignity. 

The Corsair's TARDIS materialised outside the Presidential Palace, assuming the shape of a giant pirate ship. With a grin at the disapproving voices she could hear outside her TARDIS, she plonked her tricorne on her head where it tilted at an angle over the long, dark hair of her latest incarnation.

"Salutations, gentlemen," winked the Corsair roguishly as she stepped out onto the deck of the pirate ship that was the chameleon circuit of her TARDIS.

"Isn't there a less discreet exterior shell to your time capsule?" came Vansell's whining voice.

"Nosebung! Long time no see," said the Corsair as she expertly vaulted off the deck and landed before the Time Lords waiting in front of the Presidential Palace. "Any reason why I have three Councillors waiting to greet me?"

"Perhaps we can move this somewhere quieter," suggested Cardinal Braxiatel. "The President is expecting us."

"Brax! How wonderful to see you," said the Corsair, her smile wider and more genuine as she smiled at him.

"And you, my dear Corsair," said Braxiatel with a small smile of his own. "Come."

The Corsair tossed a wink in the direction of Vansell and Ortan, both of whom looked less than pleased to see her. She followed Braxiatel who inquired politely about her latest survey trips in the Fox quadrant. Not that she would ever admit it, but she was absurdly fond of Braxiatel. She had graduated long before he had even joined the Academy but somehow he ended up being like an older sibling to her as well. It helped that she and the Doctor were such great friends. Brax had covered for their not-so-youthful indiscretions on more than one occasion.

Inside the Presidential Palace, Brax led her to the Council chambers. They were slightly bigger than the Corsair remembered, yet the strict ambience had remained unchanged. Romana sat at the head of the long table, perusing a silver tablet in front of her. At her right was an empty chair that the Corsair knew belonged to Brax. At her left sat Lord Narvin, the present Coordinator of the CIA.

The Corsair recognised a few other people; Commander Andred who sat next to Brax, and Straxus who was next to Narvin, Vansell and Ortan on the other side. However, she did not recognise the two young Time Ladies in the heliotrope robes sitting next to Andred.

"The Corsair, my lady," announced Braxiatel as he took his seat.

Romana looked up and gave a small nod in the Corsair's direction. "Do have a seat, Corsair," she said.

"Madam President," bowed the Corsair before taking a seat at the opposite end of the table. The rest of the Council seemed to be waiting for her, and the Corsair felt her curiosity peak.

"I assume you are acquainted with all but Lady Rodan and Lady Layal," said Romana with a glance at said Councillors.

The Corsair gave a nod and inclined her head towards them in turn. Their heliotrope robes proclaimed them to be from the Patrex chapter, which was a rarity in itself. The Patrexes generally steered well clear of Time Lord politics, being content with their artistry. To have two of their numbers on the Council had to be unprecedented. She cleared her throat. "Was there a particular reason why I was summoned to face the entire Council, my lady?" she asked politely, though with a distinct edge to her tone.

Romana glanced at Narvin who stood up and activated a switch on top of the table. A hologram of a brilliant electric blue diamond encased in a transparent crystal circle appeared above the table.

"This is the Peylix," said Narvin, capitalising the name of the artefact just by the way he said it. "It was said to be crafted by Omega himself."

The Corsair knew her history well but she had never heard of the Peylix. She waited for Narvin to elaborate.

"The Peylix was lost to time, and it became a myth," he said. "Until a few hours ago."

He sat down and Lady Layal stood up, looking nervous but quite determined. "We discovered its presence in the Matrix," she said in her timid voice with a glance at Rodan who gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "The exact location was difficult to find but we were successful."

"And you wish for me to retrieve it?" asked the Corsair, raising her eyebrows at Romana.

"Yes," said Romana. "The Peylix is not a mere bauble. It is said to contain tremendous power and until our scientists can determine the exact nature of its power, it is dangerous to remain free."

"I see," said the Corsair. "Where is it now?"

"At an auction," said Narvin. "On Terra."

"The humans are unaware of what the Peylix is. They think it is a pretty diamond," said Ortan disdainfully.

"What time period?" asked the Corsair.

"The precise coordinates will be programmed into your TARDIS," said Romana. "However, the Terra that we speak of is in a parallel universe."

The Corsair sat up. "What's so special about this universe then?" she asked shrewdly. "Usually, a recovery of an item such as this would not require my expertise. Terran technology is hardly a challenge and discretion is not exactly a concern for us. So, what is it that is different about this one?"

The tension was palpable at the table before Brax spoke. "It was sealed off from the rest of the multiverse, following an incident with the Guardians of Time."

The Corsair raised her eyebrows. She had been away in the Fox quadrant for a few decades now and hadn't stayed as updated as she would have liked with current events on Gallifrey. 

"What sort of an incident? Who has been exiled?" she asked.

"The Doctor and his human friend," spat Vansell. "For reasons unknown," he shot a look towards Brax who returned his gaze coolly. "It was not dealt in a traditional manner."

The Corsair sat back in her chair. "I see," she said. "Am I to seek them out or keep them away?" Vansell scowled at that and the Corsair hid her smirk as Brax tilted his head at her. "Of course," she said with a nod. "It will be done."

"It must be brought back to Gallifrey at once," said Narvin seriously.

"Understood," said the Corsair as she got to her feet and bowed to the Council. "I shall take my leave."

"I will walk you back," said Brax as he stood up with her.

Romana gave her a small nod which she returned before she and Brax left the Council chambers. "That was tense," she said brightly.

"I don't have to tell you to be careful," said Brax.

"Yet you are doing so anyway," she pointed out.

He sighed. "I just know that the last time you and the Doctor were together, you two outdrank the entire Shobogan population and ran naked through the Lower Archives room before passing out in the Panopticon."

The Corsair grinned widely. "Oh, good times," she said. "Thank you for deleting that footage, by the way."

Brax rolled his eyes. "I had to pull quite a lot of strings to allow you to contact him and Miss Tyler. As you can guess, certain people are not happy with me."

"Nosebung needs to learn how to take a joke," snorted the Corsair. "So, this Miss Tyler? What'd she do to get exiled by our lot?"

"You shall understand when you meet her," said Brax ruefully. "Theta followed her voluntarily. He is, shall we say, quite taken with her."

The Corsair raised her eyebrows at that. "Our boy is all grown up is he?" she asked.

Brax smiled goodnaturedly. "That remains to be seen," he said. "Like I said, it is vital that this incident doesn't draw too much attention. The Council is already watching this keenly. One mistake could see the end of that poor girl's life."

The Corsair took note of the concern in his voice for the mysterious Miss Tyler who had captivated the Doctor. She nodded reassuringly. "I will be discreet," she said. "Also might avoid alcohol altogether."

Brax nodded as they reached the Corsair's TARDIS. "I wish you luck," he said. "Do give my regards to them."

"Count on it," said the Corsair.

~

Rose was sitting comfortably on the chaise, her diary open in her lap as she traced the drawing she was currently envisioning. The Doctor was at the console, fiddling with the TARDIS controls while Fitz sat on the arm of one of the chairs in front of her, tuning his guitar and occasionally playing a few notes of familiar songs.

She had all but given up her art, even after starting her travels with the Doctor. But she had never been able to give it up completely. Her diary contained sketches of various aliens, people they met, alien buildings and landscapes. After she and the Doctor had become lovers, she had been...inspired. She hadn't ever worked on her art in the Doctor's presence, let alone Amy or Rory.

But for the past few months or so, she was less shy about it. She had finally shown the Doctor the sketch of him that she had made on the morning after the first time they had made love. That had been almost three months ago, and this was one of the first quiet days they'd had since then.

She was still surprised at how much there was to see on only one planet. They'd gone to the moon landing more times than she could count, gone swimming with dolphins, visited countless beaches and rainforests, met various monarchs, and even saved the occasional dodo. It was a brilliant life.

The shrill ringing of the phone broke through her reverie and she glanced up in surprise. It was not uncommon for the TARDIS phone to ring, usually with someone who needed help on the other end of it. But that had been back in the old universe. She didn't think anyone in this universe had the TARDIS phone number.

The Doctor seemed to think the same, since he threw a look of confusion at Rose before picking up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Since when does the TARDIS have a phone?" Fitz asked Rose in a whisper.

"Always has," she said, shutting her diary with a snap and getting to her feet. The Doctor seemed to be beaming, obviously very pleased with whoever was on the other end. He grinned at Rose and Fitz. "Yes, we will see you there."

"What was that about?" asked Rose as he put the phone down and ran around to the other side to input new coordinates.

"We are about to meet a very dear old friend of mine," he said, sounding very excited. "Oh, haven't seen him in years. Though I think the latest regeneration is a woman. Well, he always was a bit adventurous."

Rose grinned at his excitement. It was rare for him to be so happy about a Time Lord, and even with the brand new knowledge that Time Lords could change genders upon regenerating, she couldn't help but be excited at the prospect of meeting an old friend of the Doctor's.

The TARDIS came to a halt and the Doctor was out of the doors in moments with Rose and Fitz right behind him. They had arrived on the deck of a magnificent sailing ship where a woman was waiting for them.

She was the same height as the Doctor, with light brown skin and long black hair. She wore dark brown leather trousers tucked into long black boots, a loose white shirt, a brown navy coat with dusty gold buttons, and a tricorne plonked haphazardly on her head. In other words, the very image of a swashbuckling pirate.

"Doctor!"

"Corsair!"

The two of them embraced tightly, obvious happiness on their faces. "Gosh, how long has it been?" asked the Doctor as they parted.

"Half a century at least," she said with a bright grin. "Been meandering in the Fox quadrant for a while."

"Ah yes, I heard about Clarkor Nine," he said, sounding amused.

"I can neither confirm nor deny what you may or may not have heard," she said with a roguish smile.

The Doctor threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Come meet my companions. Fitz Kreiner, Rose Tyler, this is the Corsair."

The Corsair was the closest to Fitz and took his offered hand to place a kiss on the back of it, much to his surprise. "Enchanted," she said with a wink.

Fitz blushed a little before smiling back. She looked at Rose next and her eyebrows shot up. "Oh, I know what they meant now," she said.

Rose flushed, wondering what the Time Lords had told the Corsair about her. To her surprise though, she beamed at her in the next moment and kissed her hand, just like Fitz's. "Nice to finally meet you. A+ job on pissing off everyone on Gallifrey. It's probably the most excitement those old fogies have had in a few centuries at least."

She nodded uncertainly but couldn't help smiling back at the Corsair. Her smile was just too infectious. "Nice to meet you too," she said.

"So, what brings you to this corner of the multiverse?" asked the Doctor.

"Come inside," said the Corsair, nodding towards the door of her TARDIS. "This is going to take some explanation."


	43. The Deadly Auction: Preparations

_Previously_

_"So, what brings you to this corner of the multiverse?" asked the Doctor._

_"Come inside," said the Corsair, nodding towards the door of her TARDIS. "This is going to take some explanation."_

Rose was surprised to see the interior of the Corsair's TARDIS. Despite the flamboyant and majestic exterior shell, she had expected the inside of the ship to look like an actual TARDIS. But she was pleasantly surprised to find that it looked like a ship's navigation room with a control console and time rotor where the helm would usually be.

The Corsair led them to a small but lavishly decorated room next to it, and indicated for them to sit. The Doctor and Rose sat down on the brown leather couch and were immediately accosted by a Siamese cat who purred and crawled into the Doctor's lap.

Instead of sitting, the Corsair propped herself up on the arm of Fitz's chair. "I suppose I ought to start from the beginning," she said. "The Council summoned me a few hours ago."

The Doctor stiffened and his grip on Rose's hand tightened. "What did they want?" he asked through gritted teeth.

The Corsair observed his tense posture with interest. Brax had not been exaggerating about their relationship then. "They wanted me to locate an artefact that's in this universe," she said in a calm tone intended to make the Doctor realise that there was no immediate threat to him or Rose.

The Doctor did relax at her words, though she suspected it had a lot to do with the way Rose was stroking his hand. She filed it away too. "It is one of Omega's," she continued. "Called the Peylix."

At the mention of Omega, both the Doctor and Rose exchanged a slightly apprehensive look. The Corsair couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Hang on, who's Omega?" asked Fitz curiously.

"He's one of the Time Lords from our history," said the Doctor in a tense voice. "I have never heard of the Peylix. Apart from the fact that it was Omega's given name."

"It was?" asked the Corsair in surprise. "I didn't know that. Anyway, as for what the artefact does, that is a mystery."

"You don't know what it does?" asked Rose incredulously.

"Well, until a few hours ago it was thought to be a myth," said the Corsair. "Two Patrexes found it in the Matrix."

Rose and Fitz looked at the Doctor for an explanation. "Patrex is one of the Chapters of Time Lords. They are renowned for their artistry. But they are also said to possess the most foresight, and are often watching the Matrix for important events in the future."

"So they see the future?" asked Fitz.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. They see possible futures, and report them to the Council," said the Corsair. "Though it seems that both those Patrexes are actually on the Council now."

The Doctor's gaze snapped to the Corsair. "Two Patrexes on the Council?" he asked in surprise.

"I was surprised too," said the Corsair. "They generally steer clear of politics."

"What about the rest of them?" asked the Doctor sharply. "Who else is on the Council?"

"Romana's still President, of course. Your brother is the present Cardinal. Ortan is the Castellan on duty, Narvin's the Coordinator and Andred is still the Commander of the Chancellery Guard. Other than that it's Nosebung, Straxus and our two young Patrexes," said the Corsair, listing them off.

"Nosebung?" asked Rose.

"Vansell," the Doctor told her, his lips quirking a bit despite himself. "He did not appreciate the nickname I gave him back when we are at the Academy together."

Rose stiffened at the mention of Vansell and the Corsair watched as it was the Doctor's turn to soothe her. This was just getting curiouser and curiouser. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, the Peylix is supposedly at an auction on Platform Zephyr near Earth in the year 4 billion 57," she explained.

"And the Council approved of you contacting me?" asked the Doctor with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Not quite, but Brax was insistent," said the Corsair with a smile. "The Council is keeping an eye though, so he has warned us to be careful. That being said," she paused and glanced at Rose. "I would understand if you'd all rather not get involved."

The Doctor sighed at that and glanced at Rose and then Fitz. "Can I convince you both to stay behind in the TARDIS?" he asked in a tone that indicated that he already knew the answer.

"Nope," said Rose without any hesitation and the Doctor smiled ruefully at her.

"Fitz?" asked the Doctor.

Fitz would have loved to have a bit of a rest since they'd been practically travelling continuously for the past three months. But the Corsair was pretty and interesting as far as he could see. It would be stupid to let up the chance to get to know her a bit better. "I'm not staying behind," he said, sounding a lot more confident than he was feeling.

The Doctor looked at the Corsair who laughed. "Alright then," she said. "I'll say it again, Doctor, you pick them well."

"It is as much their choice as mine, Corsair," said the Doctor with a small incline of his head. "So, what do we know about this auction?"

~

"Mina? Mina! Where are you?" called Warren as he bustled through the foyer in search of his wife.

"What's wrong now, Warren?" asked Mina, ordering the wait staff to their positions and walking up to him.

"Marchioness Fleetwood's table is short one chair," he said.

Mina cursed under her breath before reaching for the communicator attached to her bracelet. "I'll take care of it. Is the security team done yet?"

"I'll check," said Warren as he jogged off to find the Head of Security.

Mina's call connected and she got hold of the decorator who promised to fix the Marchioness' seating arrangement. She'd throw a fit at the smallest thing, so it was important to deal with it as soon as possible. "Lady Hilbert!"

"Yes?" asked Mina as she turned around to see her assistant, Numi, almost out of breath as she ran to her.

"You are not going to believe this," said Numi, waving a piece of paper at her.

"What is it, Numi?" asked Mina in a long suffering tone.

"We are getting two more guests," said Numi excitedly.

"Oh no," groaned Mina. "Who are they? I swear, the venue is full and if the Duchess is trying to pull in another guest…"

"No, ma'am, not at all," said Numi, knowing that she'd be thrilled as soon as she knew. "They are representatives from Gallifrey. The Time Lords."

~

"So I took the liberty of sending the RSVP for two representatives of Gallifrey," explained the Corsair.

"Why only two?" asked Rose.

The Corsair grinned. "Because that's where you and the Doctor are going. You both will be the people on the inside. Fitz and I, on the other hand, will be the cat burglars who attack from the outside."

"Hang about, if they have an invitation and all why don't we just bid on the damn thing?" asked Fitz.

"Because the Council wants it kept quiet," said the Corsair.

"It's not just humans at this event," said the Doctor. "A lot of them would be very curious if a couple of Time Lords started bidding on a shiny bauble."

"So? Are Time Lords not allowed to like shiny things or something?" asked Fitz with a chuckle.

"Not particularly. These sorts of things are for appearance's sake only," explained the Doctor. "A way to let the rest of the rich and powerful people of the universe know that we are still around and keeping an eye on things."

"Which, despicable and self-centered as it is, is indeed necessary," said the Corsair diplomatically. "The two of you would have to be on your best High Council stick-up-the-arse behaviour," she added with a glance at the Doctor and Rose.

"But if they know about Time Lords and all, wouldn't they know that I am not one?" asked Rose.

The Corsair smiled a little. "Oh, you will be fine, trust me. Looking like you do, you should have no problem."

Rose's brow furrowed at that, somehow getting the impression that the Corsair was not talking about her physical appearance. She glanced at the Doctor, who looked very, very embarrassed for some reason. Rose raised her eyebrows at him, but before she could ask him what was wrong, the Corsair clapped her hands together.

"Right then, we should get changed," she said. "Fitz, with me. Doctor, you and Rose must have the appropriate clothes in your TARDIS, right?"

"Yes," said the Doctor, looking glad for the change of subject. "It shouldn't take us long, and the sooner we get this done, the better. No offence, my dear Corsair," he added slightly apologetically.

"None taken, believe me, Doctor," said the Corsair sincerely. "Thank you for doing this. And you as well, Rose, Fitz."

"No problem," shrugged Fitz with a wide smile. "Always happy to help."

"Right then, come along this way," said the Corsair, nodding towards a door that would take them deeper into her TARDIS. With a nod, the Doctor and Rose took their leave and went back to the Doctor's TARDIS.

Once inside, they went their separate ways with the Doctor going into the wardrobe room, while Rose knew that her clothes would be laid out by the TARDIS in their room. It was still quite funny to her how annoyed the Doctor got that the TARDIS laid her clothes out for her.

Sure enough, there was an exquisite dress laid out on the bed for her. It was a beautiful golden colour with delicate embroidery all over it. It was quite modest as far as clothes went but Rose had seen the way that people on Gallifrey dressed. With the exception of Leela, she hadn't seen anyone bare much skin. It only took her a few minutes to get into the dress, and she was surprised at how heavy it felt on her body.

She looked in the mirror and frowned a little. While the dress made her look far more regal, she still looked like herself; young and human. She looked at her long hair and tried to remember how the Time Ladies wore their hair. With a start, she remembered that she had never seen any of them with their hair down. They were always held up in intricate and elaborate styles, that looked incredibly complex. Leela wore her hair loose but Rose had only seen Romana twice with her hair down. Once, during the time when she had run into her past self with the Fourth Doctor, and the other during the Presidential Ceremony.

She was debating what to do when there came a knock at the door. Knowing it would be the Doctor, Rose called for him to come in. She caught a glimpse of him in the mirror as he entered and she gasped as she turned around. She had expected him to be in robes similar to other Time Lords on Gallifrey, but to her surprise, he was dressed much like he had when they had been trapped in India.

Neatly pressed black trousers, a crisp white shirt, silver waistcoat with a matching cravat, and a black coat that went to his knees completed his outfit. His usual dress shoes were replaced with long black boots that were laced all the way up his calves. His hair had been tamed and slicked back into a low ponytail, tied with a black ribbon. With a start, Rose realised that he looked more like Braxiatel than ever, especially with the way he seemed to be holding himself.

Though his posture did falter when his eyes found Rose. His gaze roved over her as if seeing her for the very first time, until Rose went pink at the scrutiny. "Sorry," he said, clearing his throat when he realised that he had made her self-conscious.

"Is this okay?" she asked, wanting him to be sure.

"Yes, yes it is," he said. "Your hair, though. It needs to be up."

"Yeah, I know," she said, turning back to the mirror. "I don't know how to do it though."

He walked towards her and touched her arm gently, almost shyly. "Sit," he said, nodding towards the seat in front of her vanity.

Rose looked at him in surprise but sat down. The Doctor picked up her hairbrush from the vanity and started brushing her hair with precise moments. It was completely silent in the room, as he braided parts of her hair intricately and pulled them back into a chignon. Rose realised with a sudden clarity that despite everything that they had done in this room, this had to be the most intimate thing they had done together.

She blushed deeply, but the Doctor did not falter as he used pins to keep her chignon holding. The few strands that were too short hung around her face. The Doctor looked into her eyes for permission, before looping those strands around his fingers and letting them go so that they curled lightly around her face and neck. When he was done, he tilted her chin up and kissed her slowly.

"Are you okay?" she asked him once they had pulled away.

He smiled gently at her and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful," he said simply.

Rose smiled a little and got to her feet. "And…?"

"And, it reminded me of being a young Time Tot who read books of Gallifreyan mythology," he said with a soft look in his eyes.

"Do you miss it?" she asked. "I mean, I know we said that the new universe was exciting and all, but I am still on Earth. Apart from a few differences, it's just like home. But you don't have that here. You can't go to Gallifrey."

"Believe me, I have no desire to," he said. "I spent a big part of my younger life trying to change myself to fit into the mould of a proper Time Lord, and do you know what I have learned? The proper Time Lords are a corrupt, ruthless, selfish and power-hungry people. While I do love Gallifrey with all its beauty, you and I both know that it has always held dark secrets. So no, I don't miss Gallifrey, Rose, nor do I miss my people."

"But what about your friends? You missed the Corsair, I could tell. And what about Brax? He's your brother," said Rose.

He smiled sadly. "The Corsair is a very dear friend of mine and I have much love for my brother too, but my love for my friends and family does not negate the fact that they have been party to every sort of punishment and consequence that has been doled out to me. Do you know why I looked so surprised when I came in just now? Because seeing you in these clothes reminded me that despite how much it suits you, you could never be a Time Lady, Rose. And you have no idea how grateful I am for that fact."

Rose stared at him for a long moment. "Okay," she said. "Come on, let's get this thing over with. After that, this dress can go straight back to the bottom of the pile forever."

"Promise?" he asked.

"With all my heart," she said with a bright smile.

~

"So, what exactly did you call this thing?" asked Fitz, touching his fingers to his chest to feel the weird texture of the jumpsuit he was wearing.

"Vlakian silk," said the Corsair as she laced up her boots. "Indigenous to the Dirsch system in the Fox quadrant. Impervious to almost anything, and is undetectable through most heat and infrared scanners."

Fitz looked suitably impressed at that information. The black jumpsuit was clinging to his body like a second skin and was light as a feather.

"Oh, you'll need this," said the Corsair, tossing him a small jar.

Fitz caught it and examined it with a frown. "Hair gel?" he asked.

"Slick your hair back with that. It will hold for three days," said the Corsair, already having slicked her hair back into a bun.

"Is this really necessary?" asked Fitz, shuddering at the idea of having his hair frozen up for three days.

"Yes," said the Corsair simply.

Fitz shrugged and scooped out some of the bright orange gel from the jar. It was heavy but odourless. As he was slicking his hair back, he noticed the Corsair turning around to examine some of the gadgets on the table in front of her. His eyes were immediately drawn to the tattoo on the back of her neck. It was a snake biting its own tail. The Ouroboros.

"Nice tattoo," he said.

The Corsair turned around and smiled at him. "Get it in every body," she said. "Never quite feel like myself if I don't. In my third incarnation, I had it inked on my entire back complete with colours and all. Now, that body was impressive. Tall and broad-shouldered. I was told it made for a wonderful canvas."

"Is it weird for you?" asked Fitz, glad to be asking the question that was bugging him. "Changing into a woman from man and vice versa?"

"No," said the Corsair with a grin. "It's a different body regardless, so it doesn't make much of a change. I had a female form in my fifth incarnation too. I looked a bit like Rose, to be honest. Blonde, short, curvy. Only body that had any inkling of a sexual desire."

"Pardon?" asked Fitz, his eyes wide.

"My fifth body," she clarified. "Only time I had any sexual appetite. And even that lasted briefly."

"So, you're not…? I mean, you don't…?" asked Fitz, wondering how he could ask it nicely.

The Corsair laughed. "I have never seen the point of it, to be honest. Most Time Lords don't, and I am not the exception in this instance. I can understand the appeal of it on an intellectual level, but I am not particularly inclined to engage in it myself."

Fitz stared at her in surprise. Once upon a time, he would have considered the Corsair to be a prude but he had seen the way she flirted and talked about sex. She was not shy about it, she had even engaged in it briefly and then decided that it wasn't for her. He didn't know if it was the product of travelling with the Doctor, but he understood the Corsair's perspective perfectly. He'd been to Earth in the future and seen the relaxed attitude towards sex and intimacy and learned that the two were sometimes mutually exclusive.

The Corsair smiled a little at him, as if realising his way of thinking immediately. From what she knew of the Earth in the twentieth century, they were still quite sexually repressed. Fitz seemed to be an exception to that, and she found his effort to understand her perspective rather endearing. While she preferred feline company to any other, she was starting to see the appeal of having a human companion too.

"Come along," she said to him. "I think it's time we put our heist into operation."


	44. The Deadly Auction: Platform Zephyr

Platform Zephyr was one of the most luxurious observational platforms in the solar system in the year 4 billion 57. It was owned by a conglomeration of private space cruise liner companies and was often rented out for posh private parties and events.

The auction in question was being hosted by Lord and Lady Warren and Mina Hilbert. They had co-founded several universities on Earth's outposts in the solar system, having built up their wealth through successful archaeological digs. The latest auction came after a rather fruitful dig in the colonies of Australia and the Pacific. The artefacts uncovered had been dated to be at least 3 billion years old.

Verification had taken close to a decade but they were finally ready to be uncovered and auctioned off. The biggest bidders at these sorts of things were usually museums and universities, although an occasional billionaire might take an interest in some of the more unique items. Warren and Mina had invested a lot into this affair, and were positive that they would have doubled their wealth before the night was over.

They had even gone ahead and hired well-known auctioneer Jermaine Silver to ensure a successful auction. Jermaine Silver was one of the elite in his profession, and it often cost quite a pretty penny to get him, not to mention that he would be booked out for months beforehand. Fortunately, he'd had a opening this week.

The hour was finally here, and the guests were starting to arrive. Zephyr had three main docking bays, though most of the guests would be arriving on a cruiseliner from Titan hosted by one of their investors and sponsors. It was due to arrive in five minutes, and Warren was scheduled to receive them.

On the other hand, Mina was waiting near the docking bays to greet the other guests. She and Warren always made it a point to receive their guests personally. They were all vouched for, of course, but it helped to get a feel for them. No one wanted to invite a criminal or a timewaster to their party.

The first of shuttles started to appear and Mina plastered her widest smile on her face as she greeted the Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light. Soon enough, she got completely busy with welcoming guests and having them escorted through to the main lounge for cocktails before the auction. She had just ushered two major representatives from the Museum of Terran History, when she heard the sound of a materialising time capsule.

Mina had only hosted one other event that the Time Lords had attended, and it was the event that had put her and Warren on the map. Having Time Lords coming to your event was a validation like no other. She patted her hair down as a blue Police Box materialised in the docking bay.

The door opened and a rather handsome Time Lord walked out of the capsule. He glanced around sharply before looking back at the box and giving a bow. The door opened again and a blonde woman dressed in a shimmering golden gown stepped outside. As soon as she had taken her first few steps away from the box, the Time Lord took his position on her right side, just a touch behind her.

Mina guessed at once that the woman was the one in charge, and the Time Lord had to be her escort. Perhaps her guard or her advisor, or both.

She walked over to them and sank into a curtsey. "Welcome to Platform Zephyr. I'm the hostess, Lady Mina Hilbert," she said with her best smile.

The two Time Lords did not smile. "Thank you for the welcome, Lady Hilbert," said the Time Lord curtly. "I am known as the Doctor, and it is my honour to present the most esteemed Lady Rose from the High Council of the Time Lords of Gallifrey."

"Lady Rose," said Mina respectfully, as she curtsied again. "It is an honour to have you both among us. This way, please. The guests are gathered in the main lounge for cocktails before the auction."

Mina started leading the way as the two of them followed her. They hardly spoke a word, but Mina saw that they were both taking in their surroundings with an almost practised sense of efficiency. It did make her wonder if she and Warren had come under scrutiny for some reason, though she dismissed the paranoid thought at once. They hadn't violated any law of time, nor done anything contrary to their legal system.

They arrived at the main lounge, and waited to be announced. The Head of Wait staff, Gladys Scarlet, was a willowy beauty with hair as red as her name, and rich purple skin that proclaimed her to be an Abrugine. Mina whispered to her who the two guests were, and she did not even attempt to mask her shock at the sight of them.

It took a pointed throat clearing from Mina to snap Gladys out of her shocked state, and her purple skin darkened with embarrassment. She looked down at the introduction card and cleared her throat."From the planet of Gallifrey, we have Time Lords: the Doctor and Lady Rose."

The doors slid open and as the Doctor and Rose walked into the main lounge, every eye on the room was on them. Mina walked in behind them, practically feeling the respect for her and Warren rise in the eyes of the guests.

Behind her, Gladys asked one of the other staff members to take over her duties and slipped away to the room on the side. She was joined almost immediately by her partner, who took one look at her agitated state and sighed.

"Calm down, Gladys," he said exasperatedly.

"Time Lords, in case you missed it!" she snapped at him. "We did not plan for this."

He rolled his eyes. "The plan remains unchanged," he said firmly. "Their presence changes nothing!"

"All very well for you," said Gladys, her amber eyes flashing with anger. "I'm the one who will be risking my neck."

With a snarl, he grasped her throat tightly. "Watch your tongue with me," he said through gritted teeth as Gladys started choking. "I'll not let a mere Abrugine order me around. Know your place with me, Gladys Scarlet, or this purple neck of yours shall be white before you know it!"

He relinquished his grip and Gladys clutched at her throat, trying to get air back into her lungs. She watched him straighten himself up, before shooting her an almost mocking smirk.

"I promised you that little diamond, didn't I?" he said. "The one you need to liberate the remaining of your people from the human colonies?" Gladys nodded slowly, still looking a little frightened.

He smiled at her. "Then rest easy, my little Abrugine. The plan shall work flawlessly. The diamond shall be ours before the night ends."

~

"So, how am I doing?" asked Rose, a little nervously.

"Splendidly," said the Doctor, his gaze shining warmly through the tough Time Lord exterior that he had adopted. "Should I be a little worried at how easily you are doing this?" he joked.

Rose suppressed her smile, though her lips quirked up a little. "I am just imitating the Time Lords from Gallifrey," she said. "Pretending that I own the whole bloody universe and everyone else around me is a nasty bug. Charming, innit?" she asked, her accent slipping a little.

The Doctor raised his flute of champagne in acknowledgment before taking a sip from it. "Right, I think we ought to mingle with the guests," he said. "I think I'll speak to our hostess Lady Hilbert, and find out more about the auction."

Rose nodded. "And I think I'll head over there," she said, nodding towards a tall, burly man with dark gold hair and a bright smile that seemed to shine even across the room. "That's Jermaine Silver, the auctioneer."

"Hmm, be careful," said the Doctor, eyeing the man in question.

"You know I will be," promised Rose as she straightened herself up and started to make her way towards Jermaine. "See ya."

The Doctor watched her move with perfect poise and grace as she crossed the room, and smiled to himself. She really was doing a good job. Even a practiced eye was not likely to think of her as anything other than a Time Lady.

He thought back to her promise of discarding the dress once this was over, and couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his face. Sometimes, he wondered at his own good fortune.

Shaking himself from the thoughts of Rose, he located Lady Hilbert and started to make his way to her, the smile on his face replaced with a look that would have made Borusa proud.

"Lady Hilbert, a word?" he said politely, yet with the command clear in his voice.

"Doctor, is everything to your liking?" asked Mina, a little nervously.

"Yes, quite," he said. "I was wondering if I could inquire about the security at this event. It is part of my duties to protect Lady Rose, you understand."

"Oh, of course," said Mina. "Warren, my husband, has been responsible for managing the security teams. Rest assured, the security is completely foolproof."

"Regardless, I would like a quick rundown," said the Doctor.

Mina nodded quickly. "Yes, well, the exits are all password coded, so even if we weren't in a time of peace, there would be no chances of an invasion. There are four security teams of seven people each, monitoring every inch of this Platform, and an additional team surveying the footage from the security cameras."

"And what of the artefacts? Surely, there would be some who would try to acquire them through less than legal means," said the Doctor, raising his eyebrows.

Mina shook her head at once. "There is no chance of that happening, Doctor," she said. "Every artefact is kept in a secure vault, and has its own unique security key that's coded to my molecular structure. It cannot be transmatted, teleported, or even moved without my permission."

"And what of the vault itself?" he asked.

"Billions upon billions of ever changing combinations, not to mention a security team both inside and outside the vault," said Mina, a tad smugly. "Trust me, Doctor, it is impregnable."

"Well, I never quite liked impregnable, you know. Sounds too much like unsinkable. Poor Titanic," he said. "Very well, Lady Hilbert, you have put my mind at ease. Thank you."

"Of course," said Mina, looking chuffed. "I am glad I proved to be of help."

The Doctor gave her a small smile. "You most certainly did."

~

"Cruk." The Corsair swore loudly, startling Fitz.

"What? What's gone wrong?" he asked.

"The Doctor just sent a message," she said. "They have coded the security key of every individual artefact to the hostess' molecular structure."

"What's that mean when it's at home?" asked Fitz.

"It means even if we get through the vault and get the Peylix, she can recall it back to herself," explained the Corsair.

"How? By remote or something?" asked Fitz.

"No, it's literally coded to her DNA. All she needs is a small transmitter and wham! The Peylix will be back in her hands," said the Corsair.

"But isn't it an auction though?" asked Fitz. "How are people supposed to get those things then?"

"She will cancel the security code once the item has been auctioned off," she said. "Well, this changes things a bit."

"Yeah, clearly," said Fitz. "How are we even meant to get the damned thing if she can just call it back?"

"Several ways, actually," said the Corsair. "Come on, help me find a Riix molecular scanner."

~

"Lady Rose, it's a pleasure," said Jermaine as Rose approached him.

"Likewise, Mr. Silver," said Rose with a small nod.

"Oh, do call me Jermaine," he said, flashing his bright smile again. Rose wondered what sort of alien teeth whitener he had used to make them gleam like that. "I must say, it was a surprise to us all that the Time Lords thought to attend this event."

"We prefer the occasional excursion outside of our realm," said Rose in a tone she remembered former President Flavia using.

"Oh, of course," said Jermaine, his smile slipping a bit. "So, how do you find the venue?"

"It's adequate, of course. A little primitive for my taste, but adequate," said Rose. "Tell me, Jermaine, have you hosted many events with Lord and Lady Hilbert?" she asked, deftly steering the questions away from herself.

"It's my first one," said Jermaine. "To be honest, I was not very keen on it. Archaeological artefacts are not really my forte. I usually auction art and the likes."

"As I understand, there is a fair bit of art on the auction list," bluffed Rose.

Jermaine nodded at once. "Oh yes, there is. Unusual stuff, but people pay a lot for it," he said, and then flushed a little. "Of course, the crowning glory will be the diamond," he added quickly.

"The blue diamond, I believe," said Rose with a nod, glad that her bluff had paid off. "Have they managed to trace the origins of that artefact?"

"No, I don't believe so," he said, furrowing his brow. "Doesn't really matter though. It's a valuable diamond, and will fetch the biggest share of the night, just you see. Will you be bidding on anything?"

"I find it far too frivolous, I'm afraid," said Rose, with a wry smile. "If you will excuse me, Jermaine."

"Of course, my lady," he said, giving her a short bow.

Rose nodded in acknowledgment and went off to find the Doctor. Jermaine had been more help than possible. Now, they were certain that the humans were definitely unaware of what the Peylix was, or what it did. It had perhaps made things a little bit simpler.

~

Gladys nodded at the security team waiting outside the vault as they let her in. The team inside searched her person again, making sure that she wasn't armed.

"What do you need, Abrugine?" asked Duncan, the leader of security unit 8A.

Gladys' lips tightened but she didn't react to the disrespectful way that he addressed her. "Lord Hilbert has asked me to do a final inventory of the artefact and present the results to him," she said monotonously.

"Check her story," snapped Duncan to one of his unit members who immediately got on the comm. link to speak to Warren Hilbert.

A few moments later, she nodded at Duncan, who glared at Gladys and gave a nod. "Be quick, Abrugine," he ordered.

Gladys didn't respond as she got to work. She quickly took inventory of all the items before she reached the finely carved wooden box which held the diamond. She slid the box open and took the diamond from it.

"What are you doing with that?" demanded Duncan. "Put it down!"

Gladys rolled her eyes but placed it next to the box, instead of inside it. "Lord Hilbert said that the diamond needed to be kept separate from the box," she said.

"What for?" asked Duncan rudely.

"So, that it makes the required impact on the guests when Mr. Silver transmats it up to the podium during the auction," said Gladys, as if explaining to a child.

"Whatever. Get out if you are done," said Duncan with an eye roll.

Gladys shot him a cold smirk. "I am indeed done," she said. "Thank you."

With dignity, she turned around and stalked out of the vault. Duncan and other members of unit 8A relaxed a little after she left. Even after years of peace, the presence of Abrugines put humans at unease. It was a good thing they had won the war, since the alternative would have been the enslavement of the human race instead.

The blue diamond that was resting beside its box started to glow a little, unbeknownst to the security team. As every moment passed, they started to feel more and more suspicious of the Abrugine who had come into the vault.

Duncan started remembering the stories of the wars with the Abrugines that his grandfather had fought in. _Never trust an Abrugine as far as you can kill them_ , he had said. Duncan began to feel the restlessness again. The Abrugines were still a very powerful race. They could attack at any moment. They could attack this very Platform on this very day.

Paranoia took hold, and Duncan picked up his comm. to contact the main security team. "This is Duncan, from unit 8A. Prepare for lockdown, we are about to have an Abrugine invasion on our hands. Sound the alarms!"

There was silence on the other end before the head of security spoke. "You are absolutely right of course, Duncan," said Quentin, the Head of Security. "We are about to have a war on our hands. I'll sound the alert and send a message to Earth. The Abrugines are going to enslave us all!"

Duncan cut off the communication and looked at his team. "Round up every stinking Abrugine you can find, and blow their heads off," he ordered. "Don't leave any of those filthy purple bastards alive. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they chorused and left the vault at once.

In the vault that was now empty of all personnel, the glow of the Peylix started to brighten.


	45. The Deadly Auction: The Peylix

"So, what exactly does the scanner do?" asked Fitz, looking at the thing that looked like an ordinary silver chain with a pendant shaped like an infinity symbol.

"It's used by medics to quarantine certain patients. It isolates their molecular structure and prevents it from transmitting the pathogen," explained the Corsair. "We have to get this on Lady Hilbert's person, and before we know it, the security key will be nullified."

"Right, so I'm guessing we are doing that before we break into the vault, right?" asked Fitz.

"Well, I am," said the Corsair with a smirk. "You get a much more important job."

Fitz looked at the Riix scanner that she was holding up and sighed. "I have to get it on Lady Hilbert, haven't I?" he asked resignedly.

The Corsair smiled and gave him the scanner. "Cheer up, Fitz," she said with a bright smile. "Could be worse. The security key could have been a huge guard with an equally huge gun."

~

"...and now here we have a classic Sumatran era vase with the distinctive rusty orange colour. Ladies and gentlemen, trees and multiforms, the bidding starts at fifty thousand credits…" announced Jermaine.

Rose tried not to fidget as the auction droned on and on. They were only on the fourth item yet, and she was already bored. The Doctor had told her that Fitz and the Corsair had changed their plans after learning that Lady Hilbert's molecular structure was being used as a security key. For the time being, she and the Doctor were stuck yet again while those two revised the plans.

She glanced at the Doctor who shot her a reassuring smile. He was still surprisingly calm about this whole thing, though Rose was feeling antsy. It was a feeling she got every time before the Doctor turned to her and said that there was nothing wrong yet, but they might have to start running very, very soon.

The vase was auctioned off to a curator from the Aresian collection and polite applause followed as the vase was handed off to her. It was when Jermaine started auctioning off a series of coins that Rose noticed that the wait staff was looking more and more worried.

The Doctor had told her that they were a race called Abrugines, who resided in outposts just beyond the solar system. Following a territorial dispute, there had been a war and the Abrugines had lost. As part of the surrender, many of their people were enslaved though the humans did not use those words. The whole thing was smoothed over, but the tensions between the two races ran high.

Gladys Scarlet, the Head of wait staff, returned to the auction chamber but left just as abruptly, and the feeling in Rose's gut deepened. She looked at the Doctor, who seemed to have noticed it too. She opened her mouth to ask what they should do, when the Aresian curator picked up the priceless vase she had just acquired mere minutes ago, and lobbed it at the head of an Abruguine waiter.

"MURDERERS!" she shrieked, picking up her chair as a shield in front of her as she glared viciously at the Abrugines in the room. "Stay away from me!"

The Doctor and Rose jumped to their feet at the unwarranted act of violence but to their enormous surprise, the remaining life forms in the room were regarding the Abrugines with hostility rather than the Aresian curator.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Rose, looking at the Doctor. She was feeling a bit faint, and her hand kept reaching towards a chair as if to grab it for protection.

The Doctor noticed it and caught her wrist. "Rose, focus," he whispered sharply. "Something's influencing all the life forms in here."

Rose swayed lightly but the Doctor's grip on her wrist kept her grounded. She blinked twice at her own hands and nodded slowly. "'Kay, how do we fix it?" she asked.

The Doctor's fingers rubbed at her wrists slowly, as if to calm them both down. "Come on, we have to find the Corsair and Fitz. I think I know what the Peylix might be."

~

Fitz crept along the hallways, hoping that the shielding on that ridiculously tight suit he was wearing was holding. He had a device strapped to his wrist where an orange beacon showed the location of Lady Hilbert.

He was almost near the last hallway, when someone grabbed him by the throat and pinned him to the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded the man who had seized him. "Are you one of them? Are you an Abrugine spy?"

Fitz gasped for breath and shook his head frantically. He had no idea what the man was even talking about. Suddenly, his captor's grip slackened and he fell to the floor, eyes wide and mouth open in a silent scream. He was dead.

"Talk, unless you want to be next," said the woman who had just shot the guard at their feet. She was unlike any alien Fitz had seen before, with purple skin and bright red hair.

"Look, I don't know what you want," said Fitz, raising his hands to his side.

The woman trembled, the gun in her hand shaking slightly. "I did everything right, but they are just going mad," she said. "They are killing us."

Fitz glanced at her and then at the man on the floor. "Are you an...Abur...Abrugine?" he asked, stumbling slightly over the word.

The woman stared at him as if he was mad. "Of course I am," she said. "What else would I be? Now, tell me who you are and what you're doing here or you'll end up like him," she threatened, pointing at the floor.

"Calm down," said Fitz, suppressing the sudden unnatural urge to grab her gun and shoot her instead. "My name's Fitz and I'm here to find my friends."

She appraised him with slightly frightened eyes though her posture remained staunch. "Gladys Scarlet," she introduced herself. "Who are your friends?"

"That would be us, I think."

Gladys whirled around at the Time Lord's voice and Fitz took the chance to knock the gun out of her tenuous grip. The gun clattered to the floor and skidded towards the Doctor who deliberately kicked it away from them.

"I knew it," said Gladys, her trembling becoming worse. "I knew that your people knew something was wrong here."

Rose's face melted into concern and she moved towards Gladys, only to have her shrink back like a spooked deer. "It's alright," said Rose gently. "We're only here to help."

"Rose is not wrong," said the Doctor, looking at Gladys speculatively. "Run us through what exactly has happened here, would you?"

Gladys looked between them and nodded slowly. "He told me it would be okay, that I only had to get the diamond and I could liberate my people in the colonies. Everything was supposed to be fine, but ever since I took the diamond out of the box, everyone except the Abrugines...started going mad. They attacked us, and the guards were executing them left and right," she sobbed. "I barely managed to escape. Please don't let them find me, they'll kill me."

"Who?" asked Fitz. "Who put you up to this whole thing?"

Gladys' sobs became worse. "It was him. It was Lord Hilbert," she cried.

"I suppose it is true what they say," said Lord Hilbert, as he emerged from the shadows, holding the gun that the Doctor had kicked away. "Never trust an Abrugine as far as you can kill them," he sneered with disgust.

"Put the gun down, Warren," said the Doctor as he looked at the man coldly.

Lord Hilbert ignored him and pointed the gun at Rose. "Come on, all of you. Down to the vault," he said. "Unless you want me to shoot her," he added when they didn't move.

"You know what the consequences will be if you ever hurt a Time Lord," said the Doctor, his jaw clenching in anger.

Lord Hilbert barked out a laugh. "She's no more a Time Lord than that filthy Abrugine who's cowering behind you. It was a good disguise, I admit, but her one heart gives it away," he said, jabbing his gun towards Rose, who glared at him. "Now, move!"

Glaring at the man, the Doctor, Rose and Fitz started walking towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. However, Gladys was gripped with fear and made a run for it. Without even blinking, Lord Hilbert aimed the gun at her back and shot her dead.

Fitz yelped as the Doctor and Rose looked at Lord Hilbert with pure loathing. "You didn't have to do that," said Rose, fury radiating from her. "She was just scared."

Lord Hilbert ignored her. "Keep moving, unless you three want to be next," he said.

"What's the bloody big deal with the diamond anyway that everyone's going mental over it?" asked Fitz, feeling disgusted that he'd seen two people just blatantly murdered in a matter of minutes.

"I don't think he planned this, Fitz," said the Doctor shrewdly as the elevator started descending to the level with the vault. "No doubt he wanted to steal it, but the paranoia that's seizing everyone? It's something else entirely."

"Then you tell me what it is, Doctor," said Lord Hilbert. "If you know so much about it."

The Doctor looked at him coldly. "You are dealing with something far beyond your petty understanding. If you know what's good for you, you'll destroy that thing at once," he said.

"Likely story," said Lord Hilbert as they entered the vault that had been left wide open by fleeing security guards. All the artefacts inside had remained untouched; it was as if the single-minded paranoia about the Abrugines had removed all other traces of intelligence from the life forms aboard Platform Zephyr.

The Peylix was sitting next to its box, glowing a brilliant blue, and as they approached it, Fitz and Rose started feeling a little faint. The intense feeling of paranoia and bloodlust grasped them again, and it was only the frantic arrival of Lady Hilbert that knocked them out of the stupor.

She looked dishevelled, her dress was torn at the hem and her hair was escaping the stylish do that it had been in before. She seemed just as taken aback to see them as they were to see her. 

"Warren, what's going on?" she asked, looking at her husband holding the Time Lords and an odd young man dressed in a skin tight suit at gunpoint.

Lord Hilbert shook his head quickly. "Listen to me, Mina. I'm doing this for us," he said.

"How exactly is setting a war in motion something you do for your wife?" asked the Doctor sardonically.

"Warren," gasped Mina, tears gathering in her eyes. "Please, please tell me you didn't do all of this."

"It wasn't supposed to go this way!" he shouted. "The idiotic Abrugine was going to steal the diamond and then I was going to catch her and hand her over to the authorities. Not only would an artefact that was considered to be worth stealing auction off for a lot more, but the stock would have fallen in Abrugine trading if it turned out that one of them tried to steal something so valuable at an event this prestigious."

Mina was looking at him, like she was seeing him for the very first time. "More money? You did all this for more money?" she asked, aghast. "People are dying, Warren, and you are telling me it was because you wanted to make more money?"

"Listen to me, both of you," interrupted the Doctor urgently. "The Peylix is not an ordinary diamond. Look at it, did you ever see it glow like this before?" he asked, pointing towards the Peylix which was glowing brighter than ever.

"What is it?" asked Rose, trying not to look too directly at it since it gave her a headache.

"It's a quantum crystalliser," said the Doctor. "Or an early version of it, anyway. Omega must have made a prototype."

"What's it do?" asked Fitz. "And why's it making my head hurt?"

"It's because it is becoming unstable," said the Doctor. "Quantum crystallisers can shift timelines and manipulate events to guarantee an outcome. You and Rose, despite being human, are time travellers and the Peylix is preying on your Artron energy. Because, unless I'm much mistaken, it is set to guarantee a very specific outcome."

"And what's that?" asked Rose, rubbing her head as she tried to stave off the headache.

"Victory and dominance of the Time Lords," said the Doctor.

"That'll do, Doctor," said the Corsair as she walked into the vault. Lord Hilbert swung his gun towards her but with a deliberate flick of her laser screwdriver, the gun was rendered useless. 

Before he could try and retaliate, the Corsair aimed the screwdriver at him and Lady Hilbert and the two of them collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"What did you do to them?" asked Fitz, looking horrified.

"They're stunned, and their memories of this day have been wiped," said the Corsair calmly as she picked up the Peylix and put it inside the box.

"You can't take it back to them," said the Doctor furiously.

"I must, Doctor," said the Corsair gravely. "It is a valuable and important bit of technology. I know that the current setting is rather drastic but destroying it is out of the question."

"Excuse me, but what the bloody hell is that thing?" demanded Fitz loudly. "If it's about Time Lords and their dominance or something, then why are the people here killing Abrugines?"

"This is a time of peace for the humans," realised Rose. "If that thing changes timelines and things, then it must have wanted to change what happens here."

The Doctor shot her a look of pride. "Yes," he said. "It fed into the paranoia of life forms here so that the war between the humans and Abrugines could start again."

"But why?" asked Fitz. "How can humans be a threat to Time Lords?"

"You underestimate your species, Fitz," said the Corsair with a small shake of her head. "Time Lords watch humans rather closely because even for a lower life form, they are the only ones who ever managed to touch every star in the sky."

"So, that was Omega's plan?" asked Rose. "To watch any progressive race crumble so that Time Lords could go on as they were?"

The Corsair looked at her sadly. "I am sorry, Rose, but that is the way things are. I have my orders, as do you. I am taking the Peylix back to Gallifrey."

"And what happens here?" asked Fitz, disgust evident in his eyes.

"I have wiped the memories of the survivors," said the Corsair calmly. "What they do next is up to them. A war could break out tomorrow, or they shall go on as they always have. Our interference is at an end."

There was silence as the Corsair delivered that bit of information. Rose suddenly felt revolted by everything, from the gown she was wearing to the Corsair's presence. "I'm going back to the TARDIS," she said, wanting to get back into her own clothes and away from Platform Zephyr and objects that manipulated timelines.

"I'll come with you, Rose," said Fitz, looking like he was feeling much the same. The Doctor nodded at his companions to go on and they left with hurried steps, without sparing the Corsair a glance.

The Corsair smiled sadly as they left. "They hate me," she stated.

"No, my dear Corsair, they hate everything that you are standing for," said the Doctor, shaking his head. "As do I. I hoped you were better than this."

The Corsair looked at him speculatively. "Do you remember the first time I met you? You were what eighty? Eighty-five? A boy who wanted to see the stars before he'd even finished the first part of his education at the Academy. I remembered seeing so much of myself in you," she said.

The Doctor thought back and remembered the tall, lanky man that the Corsair had been in her first incarnation. Young Theta Sigma had been fascinated by the man who had his own TARDIS and could go away from Gallifrey whenever he wanted. "You were my hero, Corsair," he said.

"I am sorry, Doctor," said the Corsair regretfully. "Perhaps one day we can be friends again."

The Doctor smiled bitterly. "I wish you the best, Corsair. You and the Time Lords," he said. He turned to go, feeling shame, anger and sorrow welling in his hearts.

"Doctor?" called the Corsair and he turned around briefly. "I know it isn't my place, but please hear me out. Tell Rose about the bond."

The Doctor turned around sharply at that. The Corsair continued, undeterred. "I can see that it's hurting you and soon it will start hurting her as well. It is also leaving you both vulnerable to telepathic attacks. You will have to complete it soon," she said.

The Doctor was quiet for a moment. "You're right," he said finally, straightening up. "It isn't your place, Corsair. Farewell."

With those words, the Doctor turned around and left his old friend behind.


	46. The Venetian Tragedy: Everybody's Fool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is heavily influenced by the audios 'Stones of Venice' and 'The Natural History of Fear'. Also, Saviltride is being used because I like the word; it doesn't mean the same that it does in 'Zagreus'.

_"The Other," she said, looking straight at him. "It's you, isn't it?"_

_The Doctor's eyes went wide momentarily before his face hardened. "Rose…"_

_"Don't," she said. "Don't insult me by lying to me again." He fell silent as she started pacing again. "I should have seen it before. You practically told me but I didn't get it."_

_"Rose," he said, pleading now as he registered the hurt in her voice._

_"What else haven't you told me?" she demanded. "What more do you know about Arkytior and Bad Wolf and Fenric that you don't want me to know?"_

_"Nothing," he said, looking astonished that she would doubt him now. After all they'd been through together._

_Rose shook her head and he was startled to see tears glistening in her eyes. "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You have kept secrets every step of the way. What reason do I have to believe you?"_

_The Doctor looked horrified as her face crumpled and tears slid down her cheeks. "Rose," he said, looking deeply ashamed and regretful. "Oh Rose," he said, moving towards her but Rose took a step back, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, Rose, you have to believe me. I never wanted to hurt you. I only wanted to protect you, I wanted to keep you safe. My darling Rose, I would never…"_

Duchess Jessamine Celandine sniffed a little as she turned the page over. As much fun as it was to read about the Doctor and Rose's adventures, she never liked it when they fought. They were so in love, it would be easy for anyone with half a brain to see it.

Though she was on Rose's side this time. She deserved to know everything that the Doctor had been hiding from her. It was only fair.

She was about to start reading again, eager to know what happened next when there came a knock on her chamber doors. She set her bookmark between the pages of the book as her maid Rina opened the door. Judging by the way Rina sank into a bow, the Duchess guessed that it must be her husband.

Sure enough, a tall, broad-shouldered man entered her chamber bearing a smile and a bouquet of delicate white roses. The Duchess got to her feet and bestowed him with a charming smile.

"Good evening, my love," he greeted as he handed her the roses. "For you."

The Duchess accepted them and handed them off to Rina before placing a loving kiss on her husband's lips. "How was the meeting with the Council?" she asked as the two of them sat down at the table that had been set for their supper.

"Tedious as ever," he said as Rina and two other maids served them some steaming hot soup and poured wine into crystal goblets. "Some days, I wonder if it would be easier to abdicate my position."

"Nonsense, my love," said the Duchess with practised ease. "You are the best person to rule Venice. You have always been, and you shall always be. No one else is capable of doing what you do."

The Duke smiled at her, his silver-grey eyes softening as he did. She always knew the right thing to say to him. He was ever so grateful to have her. Especially since he had her back after so long. "How are you feeling today?" he asked in concern.

"I am absolutely fine," said the Duchess with a smile. "Truly, I am. Just give me a day or two and I shall even be well enough to venture outside the palace walls again."

The Duke's face darkened. "There will be no need for that," he said sternly. "I am not having you step outside the palace walls. Not when I just have you back."

The Duchess sighed and placed a soothing hand on his arm. "You can't keep coddling me, darling. I have to venture out sooner or later. I refuse to stay inside like a coward."

"No one doubts your bravery, my love," he said, trying to make her understand. "But what if it happens again? What if I cannot save you this time? What shall become of me without you?"

"Hush now, my love," she said as she got up from her place and walked over to his side to wrap her arms around him.

He rested his head on her bosom, taking in ragged breaths as he tried to maintain his composure. The servants left the chambers discreetly as the Duchess ran a soothing hand through the Duke's hair. "I'm here," she murmured. "I am not going anywhere. You have me here. Forever, just as I promised."

The Duke looked up at her and gave a watery smile. He had barely lived in the time that she was gone, and now that he had her back, he never ever intended to let her go. He let her sweet floral smell and wondrous smile comfort him as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

She was his, and no one would take her away again.

~

Jarrett Vincent was counting the credits with well-practiced ease. Saviltride was a wonderful time of the year for his business. A full 45 days when couples were not permitted to copulate, meaning that practically every married and courting couple bought flowers in copious amounts to appease their spouses.

An hour ago, he'd even had the Duke's personal servant from the palace come in and buy the very expensive white roses. That sale alone would have covered his daily profit, but he kept the store open till the usual closing time.

"Evening Jarrett," Nolan from three shops over greeted him as he walked through Jarrett's flower shop. "Closing shop?"

"Yes," answered Jarrett, not even stumbling through his counting. "Got some white carnations left if you want to take them for your missus."

"No, she's allergic," he said mournfully. "I hate Saviltride. You're so lucky you don't have a wife, Jarrett."

"I don't think there's a woman in Venice who could tempt me to settle down, Nolan," said Jarrett with a laugh as he put away the credits into a box and triple locked it.

"Oh, I remember being your age. I used to be just like you. And I should have stayed that way," grumbled Nolan.

Jarrett managed not to roll his eyes but just barely. Fortunately he was prevented from having to respond as a man in priest's garb entered the shop. "Evening, Provost Errapel," he greeted politely.

"Evening, Jarrett, Nolan," said the Provost with a polite nod. "How much for the carnations, Jarrett?"

"Courting someone, Provost?" joked Nolan.

"No, as a matter of fact," said the Provost, a cool look in his blue-green eyes. "I am having them sent over at the hospital so that Wilson Fontaine's wife has some comfort while her husband fights for his life in the ICU."

Nolan flushed and looked down in shame. Jarrett plucked the white carnations from their vase and tied the stems with a ribbon. "Here, Provost," said Jarrett politely. "Free of charge."

The Provost looked at Jarrett and nodded back. "Thank you, Jarrett. I shall remember this," he said.

"Not at all," said Jarrett, though secretly proud of having pleased the dour priest.

The Provost took the flowers and left the shop after nodding at the two of them. As soon as he was gone, Nolan scowled at Jarrett. "What a bastard," he said. "Who does he think he is?"

"He's the Provost," said Jarrett. "Show some respect, Nolan."

"I'll show him respect when he starts showing some," said Nolan darkly. "Don't you think something's off about him?"

"Like what?" asked Jarrett.

"Like he's so young," said Nolan. "And the way he looks. Who has hair that long? Present company excluded, of course."

Jarrett ran a hand through his long, black hair and did not comment. His hair was definitely not as long as Provost Errapel's long, curly brown hair. "Appearance has nothing to do with it, Nolan," he said, slightly coolly.

"Fine," said Nolan sulkily. "But the way he looks at me creeps me out. Like he knows something about me that I don't."

"Don't be ridiculous, Nolan," said Jarrett. "He's a priest. He may come off as a bit stand-offish but from what I have heard, he has done more for Venice since he has arrived than what was being done before."

"Ah yes, I forgot you two arrived around the same time," said Nolan. "Well, you came at the right time, I tell you. The Duchess was found around then, and things in Venice have been much better since she's been found. The Duke has been mellower in his punishments and ordinary folks like us haven't had to pay more taxes to fund the troops to look for her."

"No one talks about what happened to her," said Jarrett.

"That's 'cos no one knows what happened," said Nolan, always eager to gossip. "Everyone's just glad she has been found."

"How long was she gone?" asked Jarrett.

"Don't know, really," said Nolan. "Feels like forever. Or so it felt like while I was paying the extra taxes."

He laughed heartily at his poor joke, and Jarrett forced a smile. "Right then, that's me done. See you tomorrow, Nolan," said Jarrett as he picked up the box with the credits.

"Goodbye, Jarrett."

~

"...and have it taken to Wilson Fontaine's wife," the Provost told his assistant. "Make sure she knows that we are all praying for his recovery."

"Yes Provost," agreed the young lad as he toddled off towards the hospital with the carnations.

The Provost sighed to himself and looked at the next thing to do on his list. There, written plainly in his own hand, was Attend the Duchess' Party.

In all honesty, the Provost had not met the Duchess personally yet. She had been found only a day after he had come to Venice. The Duke had made the announcement of her return but she was yet to make a proper public appearance. The Duke was being very careful with her security, which the Provost could understand.

He had seen portraits of the Duchess though, and had he not been a man of cloth, he would have envied the Duke for having such a lovely wife. She was younger than the Duke, had golden blonde hair, and eyes that seemed to sparkle even in those lifeless portraits. The Provost prided himself as being above the superficial ideas of beauty but something about the Duchess was captivating.

That was why he was dreading actually meeting her. Reality rarely ever lived up to imagination, and he didn't want to be disappointed if the Duchess was nothing like he thought she was. With another tired sigh, the Provost closed his appointment book and decided to retire for the night.

He could worry about the Duchess later.

~

That night, as was the norm for all nights of Saviltride, couples retired to separate beds all across Venice. The Duchess said goodnight to her husband and then let Rina run her a bath before bed. Once she had finished bathing, she got Rina to brush her hair and then dismissed her for the night.

Nights during Saviltride were often warmer, so the door to the balcony in her chambers was ajar to let the breeze in. The delicate silk curtains blew lazily in the wind and the Duchess chanced a quick look at the night sky.

The stars were all but invisible from Earth these days. Too much industrialisation, even if Venice was kept safe from all of that. The best thing that her husband's father, the late Duke of Venice, had done was separating Venice from the rest of the European nations. Theirs was a small but powerful country, where trade, art and philosophy flourished. Just like it had in history.

Jessamine was proud of being the Duchess of this wonderful place. She couldn't exactly remember what had happened when she was taken away, but the doctors had said that it was a matter of retrograde amnesia. She would remember in time, but she wasn't certain if she wanted to remember it. One day, she had been walking through the town square and the next, she remembered waking up in the palace, and being told that she had been missing for years until her husband had found her again.

It was jarring, to say the least. She didn't like to dwell upon it though, and had thrown herself right back into her duties. Tomorrow, she would be hosting a ball for the dignitaries. She had been planning for days now.

Deciding that she really did need sleep, she retired to her bedchamber and got into bed. The lights dimmed, and the Duchess sunk into sleep.

Across town, Jarrett made sure that he had his inventory done right. He had to be delivering flowers to the palace for the Duchess' party tomorrow, and it was bound to be a busy day.

In his modest priest's quarters, Provost Errapel said his nightly prayers and retired to bed.

Unbeknownst to the three of them, they each had the same dream that night.

_"So, this is Venice in the 26th century?" asked Rose as they walked out of the TARDIS._

_"Looks a bit old, doesn't it?" asked Fitz, remembering that they had been to the 26th century before but it had been America instead._

_"They got into a fight with the rest of Europe over the over-industrialisation in the region. In a fit of anger, their Duke cordoned off Venice from the rest of Italy and Europe. Industry here has almost returned to late eighteenth, early nineteenth century quality," explained the Doctor._

_"But look at the trade," said Rose, glancing around the marketplace that was bustling with people._

_"Oh yes, it is flourishing," said the Doctor with a nod. "They cut back on technology and started encouraging trade and art instead. It has worked to some extent, but history says that it will soon be changing."_

_"Let me guess, we will be responsible for changing it," said Fitz with a sigh._

_The Doctor grinned at him. "I have absolutely no idea, Fitz. This universe is new to me, remember? For all I know, us being here will do nothing."_

_"Fat chance of that, Doctor," said Fitz. "So, where do you want to go first?"_

_"Oi, you two! Look at this!" called Rose._

_She had been standing in front of a beautiful old building while the Doctor and Fitz had been talking, and as the two of them walked over to her they saw what had made her sound so alarmed._

_Her Royal Highness Duchess Jessamine Celandine Exhibition read the banner and underneath it was a portrait of the Duchess herself._

_"Wow," said Fitz. "You could be twins."_

_"I know, right?" asked Rose. "She looks like I did when I was about nineteen. How is that possible?"_

_The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "It's curious," he said. "Spatial genetic multiplicity could explain it, though it is rare to happen across universes. Whoever she is, she's not you."_

_"I should hope not," said Rose, looking a bit unnerved at the sight of the portrait. "Don't wanna be carted off as her now, do I?"_

The dream always ended right there. And come morning, all three of them forgot it completely.


	47. The Venetian Tragedy: What You Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some religious themes in this chapter.

The next morning, the Duchess was up at dawn. It was a very important day for her and for Venice, and she was determined to make sure that it would be a spectacular one.

It often surprised her that even with weeks of planning, how frantic the actual day of the event was. Fortunately, the palace had an excellent staff and extra help for the day. The Duchess really didn’t have a lot to do, except supervise and ensure that everything was done to perfection.

The Duke was in meetings the whole morning, so the Duchess set about her duties alone. The ball would take place in the rear ballroom that overlooked the canal. That meant that it wasn’t just the ballroom that would be decorated but the yard beyond it as well.

When the Duchess got there after breakfast, she saw the staff already at work making sure the ballroom was spick and span. Chinese lanterns were being hung over the wide arched windows, and over the path leading to the yard. Come evening, it would like beautiful.

The Duke had wished to spare no expense for the ball and had decided that there would be plenty of light and flowers to symbolise the Duchess’ return. The Duchess had tried to protest but he had been adamant on that one thing. Giving in, the Duchess had thrown herself into the planning and now it looked delightful. Rhea, who was in charge of this event, approached the Duchess and gave a quick bow. “Is everything to your liking, my lady?” she asked.

“Yes, of course, Rhea,” said the Duchess with a smile. “What of the flowers?”

“The florist will be here soon, my lady,” said Rhea. “Everything will be done, just as you asked.”

“Excellent, I’ll be going down to the kitchens to see how the preparations are going,” she said, knowing that Rhea would have this in check.

“Of course, my lady,” bowed Rhea as the Duchess left the ballroom.

“Madame Rhea, the florist is here.”

“Jarrett Vincent, madame,” said Jarrett as he was shown to Rhea. “I have the flowers waiting outside.”

Rhea gave a quick nod. “I’ll have someone help you. Here is a list of the Duchess’ request. I trust you have the required flowers?” she asked as she handed him the list.

Jarrett took it and nodded. “I have everything that was requested,” he said. “I’ll only need another pair of hands to help since I brought a friend of my own as well.”

“Friend? What friend is this?” asked Rhea at once, knowing that every extra helper had to be verified by the palace security as per the Duke’s orders.

“Nolan Wester, madame,” said Jarrett. “He is being checked by security right now.”

Rhea gave a quick nod. “Alright then, I’ll send Alvin to help you,” she said. 

“Yes, madame,” said Jarrett as he got to work. He picked up the big bunch of red carnations he had brought in and started to put them into sections that would go into the crystal vases around the ballroom. He was so engrossed in his work that he almost didn’t notice when a small, feminine hand picked up a stray carnation he had tossed aside for being a little too wilted.

He looked up quickly and blinked in astonishment at the beautiful redheaded young woman who looked mortified at being caught. Her simple white dress with the gold sash told him that she was a maid, but Jarrett hardly cared as he watched her lovely green eyes lower in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” she said, putting the flower back and turning to go.

“No, wait,” he called quickly and she turned around in surprise. “I’m Jarrett,” he said, holding up a carnation that was infinitely more beautiful than the one she had picked up before.

She blushed deeply, looking as red as her hair as she took the flower. “I’m Rina,” she said. “Thank you for the flower.”

Jarrett grinned. “It was my pleasure,” he said, tipping his head in a slight bow.

Rina bit her lip and smiled shyly. She was about to say something when the Duchess’ voice called for her. She jumped a little and shot a look of apology at Jarrett who nodded back even though he was a little disappointed as she went up the stairs after the Duchess.

Jarrett kept his eyes trained on the staircase and couldn’t help his little smile when Rina tucked the carnation behind her ear. In his preoccupation with her, he missed the slight frown that crossed the Duchess’ face as she looked at him.

~

_"Killing you, Doctor," the Black Guardian said nastily. "That was never the plan. Your people have an infernal habit of returning from the dead. Not to mention that you have had your uses over the years."_

_"Then why?" the Doctor asked in a calm voice that betrayed the storm brewing beneath it. "Why go to all this trouble? What could possibly be so important that all the Guardians had to band together? What was it all for?"_

_"It had nothing to do with you, Doctor," said the Gold Guardian before her eyes moved slowly to Rose. "It did, however, have everything to do with her."_

_"Me?" questioned Rose, shocked. "What are you talking about?"_

_"By all means, Miss Tyler, you should not exist. The Eternals should have killed Arkytior. She was too volatile, too blinded by her love for the Time Lord to do what was expected of her," said the Azure Guardian stiffly._

_"What was expected of her?" asked Rose, feeling dread settle in the area of her stomach._

_"She was a manifestation of Time, and it was her duty to obey it," said the Red Guardian calmly._

_"Which was what, precisely?" asked the Doctor._

_"She was sent by Fenric to kill the Time Lord. And the fool fell in love with him," snarled the Crystal Guardian._

_"We would have left Miss Tyler alone, but then you met her and we saw history starting to repeat itself," said the White Guardian sadly. "We could not allow it to happen."_

The Duchess slammed the book shut. It was at a good point, and the appearance of the Guardians would have brought forth more information about what was happening with Rose, but her mind simply wasn’t in it.

She couldn’t stop thinking about the florist that Rina had been talking to. The Duchess was certain that she had seen him somewhere before, but she could not remember when or where it had been. The doctors had warned her that seeing certain places or people might trigger some memories.

She debated if she should call for her husband and tell him she thought that the man downstairs might have had something to do with her disappearance. She discarded the idea as soon as she thought it. It was ridiculous; she was overreacting.

If he had been someone involved with her disappearance, he was hardly likely to brazenly show up at the palace. Perhaps he had been someone she had seen in passing before. It didn’t make him a criminal, nor a villain involved with her disappearance.

The Duchess shook her head and sighed. She had to put the matter out of her mind, and focus on the party tonight. She had her duties as the hostess to look after, and she had to make sure that she made a good impression on her guests. No one would ever say that Jessamine Celandine had been slacking on her duties after her return.

She also decided not to mention her brief moment of panic to the Duke. She was certain that her overprotective husband might have the man executed simply for sparking doubt in her mind.

No, she decided as she picked up her book to continue the Doctor and Rose’s adventures. It was better left alone.

~

The Provost was in his chambers, trying to fix the collar on his formal priest’s robes with a small grimace on his face. The dark blue robes were rather depressing in his opinion, though the golden lining certainly added some brightness to them. He preferred his usual dark green and gold robes that he wore to service, or even the simple dark green smock he usually wore, rather than these formal robes worn only during special ceremonies and occasions.

Normally, a simple party at the palace would not warrant such a formal attire but it would be his first time meeting the Duchess, and he really did want to make a good impression on both her and the Duke. His church thrived on help from the palace, and he had to maintain good relations with them if he hoped to continue his work in Venice.

He finished getting dressed and appraised his reflection in the mirror. As always he contemplated if he should cut his hair and then shook his head. It was fine just the way it was. A quick glance at the time told him that it was almost time for him to leave. It was only a short walk to the palace, but it was bound to be warm due to it being Saviltride. Not like the heat really bothered him.

“Provost Errapel?” It was his assistant, Luca, at the door.

“Yes, Luca?” asked the Provost as he opened the door and let him in.

“Wilson Fontaine is on the mend,” he said with a smile.

The Provost smiled too. “That is wonderful news indeed, Luca,” he said. “I want you to call Sister Gough and head to the hospital at once. She might be of assistance to help Mrs. Fontaine. I doubt the poor woman has slept a wink in the past week.”

“As you say, Provost,” said Luca with a quick nod. “I will pass along your prayers, shall I?”

“Thank you, Luca, and do convey my apologies for not being able to see them today. I will visit them first thing in the morning,” he said.

“Of course, Provost,” said Luca and took his leave.

The Provost smiled as he adjusted his collar again. He was glad that Wilson was alright. The man had been helping with the building of the new orphanage when his ladder had slipped, causing him to fall and injure himself. The Provost blamed himself quite a bit, since he ought to have insisted on helping rather than listening to Wilson when he’d said that he had it under control. Mrs. Fontaine didn’t blame him at all; she had been grateful for all his help in these trying times, but the Provost found it hard to forgive himself. Perhaps now that Wilson was on the mend, he would be able to seek his forgiveness.

Filled with slightly more vigour than he was before, the Provost decided to head to the palace. It only took a short ten minutes until he reached the palace gates and was let in at once. He wasn’t the first one there, for which he was grateful and as he looked around for familiar faces, he was surprised to see Jarrett Vincent doing a very poor job of trying to look inconspicuous.

He made his way to him and tapped his shoulder. “Jarrett?” he asked, suppressing his amusement when he jumped quite a bit.

“Provost! You scared me!” said Jarrett as he clutched a hand to his heart.

“You look woefully out of place, young Jarrett,” said the Provost with a small smile. “Unlike the rest of us trussed up chickens, you look positively human.”

Jarrett grinned a little, never having seen the priest look so jovial. “I have been here all day, Provost,” he said. “The flowers all came from my shop and I helped decorate.”

The Provost looked around the ballroom appreciatively. “It looks rather beautiful, Jarrett,” he said. “But you didn’t stay behind to look at your handiwork, did you?” remarked the Provost shrewdly.

Jarrett flushed a little but nodded just the same. “I met someone...but I didn’t get a chance to talk to her besides knowing her name,” he confessed quietly.

The Provost smiled again. “Ah, young love. Who might the lady in question be?” he asked.

“Her name is Rina. She is the Duchess’ maid, I think,” he said. “She has to be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Provost.”

“Then what are you doing standing here like a lovesick fool?” asked the Provost. “Go find her and ask permission to court her, Jarrett.”

“I only met her today,” Jarrett protested half-heartedly.

“So?” asked the Provost. “Time and love wait for none, young Jarrett.”

“I thought it was tide, not love,” said Jarrett.

“Nonsense,” said the Provost, almost absently. “A spatial manipulator keyed into a gravitational thruster can easily control tides.”

“What?” asked Jarrett, looking completely baffled.

The Provost looked just as confused. “Huh, I have no idea,” he said. “Must have been something I’d read.”

“There she is,” said Jarrett suddenly and the Provost followed his line of sight. He knew that Jarrett’s attention was on the maid in the white dress, but the Provost himself was captivated by the sight of the Duchess descending down the stairs.

Her portraits really had not done her justice. She was dressed in a lovely deep red dress with roses sewn around her waist, and had her golden hair curled gently down her back. The smile on her face was one that set his heart racing and for a moment, it felt like he had two of them instead. She reached the last few steps and the Duke took her hand, and the action felt like cold water being doused over him.

What was he doing? She was a married woman who was clearly in love with her husband. And he was a man of cloth. Priests were allowed to marry of course, even the Provost, but he doubted the courtesy extended to being attracted to married women. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he tried to pay attention to the Duke’s speech. He spoke about Venice and her prosperity, and the happiness and light that the Duchess’ return had brought.

Despite everything, the Provost couldn’t help but watch the Duchess as the Duke was speaking. She was smiling at her husband’s words, even as her cheeks turned pink from the love and devotion that flowed from them. The Duke’s speech was over and everyone clapped politely as the band started the music. The guests began to mingle but the Provost’s eyes stayed on the Duke and the Duchess, and his stomach clenched when the two kissed briefly.

“Provost?”

He jumped and looked at Jarrett who looked a little unsettled. The Provost hastened to look calmer than he was feeling. “Yes, Jarrett?” he asked. “Is there something wrong?”

“You tell me,” said Jarrett. “You are the one crushing that rose.”

The Provost looked at his hand and jumped a little when he realised that he had nearly destroyed the pink rosebud from the flower arrangement. He let it go like it had burned him and straightened up. “Sorry, Jarrett, my mind was elsewhere. Do excuse me, I must mingle with the guests,” he said with as much dignity as he could muster.

“Of course, Provost,” said Jarrett with a nod, though he still looked a little concerned. His attention was diverted when he spotted Rina leave the Duchess’ side and move towards the exit that led to the gardens. “I’ll see you around,” he told the Provost absently as he made to follow her.

He heard the Provost reply almost as absently, but Jarrett was engrossed in following Rina. He finally got to the door that Rina had taken and hurried out of it. The garden was only dimly lit, but he saw Rina sitting down on a stone bench. He approached her cautiously and announced his presence with a nervous cough.

She whirled around in shock, but upon seeing him he saw her blush. “Jarrett, I didn’t realise you were still here,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

Hoping that it was nervousness and not fear, Jarrett eased himself on the bench next to her, keeping a respectable distance between them. “I had a question I wanted to ask,” he said, deciding to take the Provost’s advice.

Rina’s eyes widened with surprise, and dare he hope, anticipation. Jarrett knew that he didn’t have a gift to present to her so she could consider his offer of courtship, but he drew the makeshift bouquet of red and white carnations that he had cobbled together. It was slightly wilted, having been pushed into his pockets, but he hoped she understood the sentiment behind it as he held it up.

“I realise we haven’t known each other long,” he said nervously. “But I very much would like to know you better, Rina. Will you please accept my sincerest offer of courtship?”

Rina had tears in her eyes as she nodded quickly, accepting the bouquet. Jarrett let out the breath that he was holding and chuckled in relief. 

“May I call on you tomorrow?” he asked shyly.

“I would like that very much,” she said. She glanced back at the doors to the palace and knew that she had to be returning soon. 

Jarrett gave a quick nod. “Until tomorrow then,” he said as he stood up and offered his hand.

Rina took his hand and stood up. Before she could lose her nerve, she kissed his cheek and then ran back to the palace quickly. Jarrett stared after her in shock before a giddy smile burst forth on his smile. 

With an extra spring in his step, he left the palace to return home. He had a woman to woo tomorrow.

~

“Provost Errapel, so glad you could make it,” said the Duke as he greeted the Provost jovially.

“Thank you for the invitation, Highness,” said the Provost amiably enough, reminding himself that he needed the palace’s support.

“Of course, there was no question of it,” said the Duke. “How is the man who was injured at the site of the orphanage?”

“He is quite well and on the mend,” said the Provost with a smile. “I will be seeing him tomorrow.”

“Do tell him that the palace wishes him well,” said the Duke with a nod.

The Provost nodded. “Of course,” he said.

One of the Duke’s advisors walked up to him, and called him away. He nodded at the Provost and excused himself. Before the Provost could do anything else, the Duchess approached him.

“My lady,” said the Provost with a quick bow, hoping she couldn’t see the pink in his cheeks.

For some reason, she looked rather flushed too. “You must be Provost Errapel. I have heard so much about you,” she said.

“Nothing bad, I hope,” he joked with a smile, feeling surprised when her blush deepened.

“Of course not,” she said at once. “I wanted to personally thank you for taking up the orphanage project.”

The Provost remembered with a start that the orphanage had been the Duchess’ brainchild and she had been working tirelessly on it when she had disappeared. “It is a noble pursuit, my lady, and my only hope is to see it succeed,” he said.

“From what I hear, you have been excellent at it,” she said, her tongue slipping to the corner of her mouth as she smiled at him. The Provost felt his breath catch and he had to physically clench his fists to stop himself from doing something he would regret. He nearly missed her question due to his internal turmoil. “...wondering if there was anything I could do to help?” she asked.

“Any and all help is appreciated, my lady,” he said, trying his hardest to pull himself together. “But as I understand, you are meant to be resting.”

“Nonsense, I am perfectly fine,” she insisted. “I would love to help, Provost.”

He smiled at that and nodded. “I understand. There are a few matters that could use your wisdom,” he said.

“Excellent,” she said with a nod. “Is tomorrow a bit too soon for you to present these ideas to me, Provost?” she asked.

“Of course not,” he said, though a part of him admonished him for it. He really ought to be avoiding temptation and staying away from her but any moment he got to spend with her would be precious to him. “Shall I make an appointment?”

“There will be no need for such formalities,” she said, and for some reason she blushed. “I would love it if you joined me for tea in the afternoon.”

He knew he really ought to refuse but his rational side seemed to have been silenced by the majority of his brain. “I would be honoured,” he said.

She smiled brightly and the Provost wondered, not for the first time that night, how he had ever expected the portraits to outshine the real thing. “Wonderful,” she said delightedly. “I shall see you tomorrow then.”

“I look forward to it,” he said before he could help himself and then cursed the blush rising to his cheeks.

“My lady, the Duke is asking for you,” said a maid as she approached the Duchess, and the Provost recognised her as Rina, the woman that Jarrett had been looking to court. He spotted a makeshift bouquet of carnations tucked into her gold sash and smiled to himself. Looked like young Jarrett had mustered up the courage to ask her after all.

The Duchess smiled apologetically at him. “Enjoy the party, Provost. I shall see you tomorrow,” she said.

He bowed deeply. “Thank you, my lady,” he said as she left with an odd smile on her face. He picked up a goblet of wine from a passing waiter and downed it in three sips, marvelling at how dry his throat had gone.

How was he to survive being alone with her if talking to her in a room full of people had his throat drier than the Sahara. Not for the last time, the Provost wondered if he had a particularly masochistic side to him that he would torture himself by spending time with a married woman whom he was clearly attracted to.

No, he decided firmly. He was a consummate professional and he would act like it. Any attraction he had towards the Duchess would surely be gone by tomorrow.


	48. The Venetian Tragedy: Listen to the Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some religious themes in the chapter, so read at your discretion.

The Duchess stood in her enormous wardrobe, biting her lips nervously as she tried to decide what to wear. She was due to meet the Provost in less than hour, and she was at her wit’s end.

She knew that any sane person would point out that she was being a fool, and that it wouldn’t matter what she wore. The Provost was a man of cloth, and she was a married woman. She loved her husband, had ever since he had come riding into town and swept her off her feet.

Rationally, she knew all that. But her heart refused to comply. She had never felt as drawn to anyone, not even her husband, as she had been drawn to the handsome, soft-spoken Provost. She had heard that he had taken over the responsibility for building the orphanage, which had endeared him to her at once. She had been looking forward to meeting him at the ball. She just hadn’t expected him to be so handsome.

But it was more than that too. He had the most beautiful blue-green eyes and a smile that set her heart racing. He was polite, well-spoken and something about him was just magnetic. She knew that he only had to ask something of her, and she would gladly leave everything behind for him. It frightened her quite a bit. This went beyond a crush or a fleeting moment of attraction.

She knew she ought to do the responsible thing and call the meeting off. He could meet with the council instead to discuss the orphanage, and she would keep her distance from him. She loved her husband and she had never been unfaithful to him. She had no intention of changing that. 

Yet, at the same time, she knew that she was the best person to deal with the orphanage project. The council would dismiss it to the bottom of the pile for being trivial. It would go a lot faster if she were to meet with the Provost herself. Her mind made up, the Duchess pulled herself together and picked a dress off the rack to get dressed. 

And if she did choose one of her best dresses, then that was her business, wasn’t it?

~

The Provost changed his robes three times before he wore the dark green smock which he had started with. On his desk sat a silver scroll containing all the data that he would have to present to the Duchess. He tried in vain to convince himself that his hands were shaking because he had to live up to the Duchess’ expectations regarding the orphanage.

In truth, he was wondering how he would be able to form coherent words when her mere smile had him fantasising about kissing her. He had spent the better part of the night replaying that tongue-touched smile, the only difference being that they weren’t in a ballroom full of guests when she smiled at him like that. He shook his head quickly, dispelling that line of thought. She was married, and he was a priest; he just had to remember that and not lose himself to the temptation.

He finished getting dressed, plastered a grim expression on his face, and left the church to walk to the palace. As he walked, he looked skywards and realised that the rains would be coming down in a few days. The marketplace was busier than usual as no one would venture out during the rainy days, lest they wanted to die or get severe chemical burns. Acid rains were not a common occurrence but when they did happen, there was a strict curfew in Venice. Industrialisation of the Earth had only made the once-harmless phenomenon worse, and now it seemed as if the acid rains would be coming down in about four days according to the forecast.

The Provost knew that the church was already stocked up, so he would not have to worry about it. He had already told Luca and the other priests and priestesses to take that day off, and the church would be quite empty save for him. He reached the palace gates and was let in at once. Instead of being led towards the palace, he was pointed towards the garden. 

It was quite a pretty spot, with tall hedges growing in a circle around it. In the middle was a gazebo under which a table for tea had been set. The guard who had led him there, offered him a seat and sent a message to the palace staff informing them of the Provost’s arrival.

Mere moments later, the Duchess emerged through the palace doors and the Provost got to his feet, his breath catching. She wasn’t dressed as grandly as she had been last night, yet somehow this simple pink day dress she was wearing was far more tempting than that elegant gown. All pink and yellow, just like a rose, an errant thought ran through his mind as he bowed to her.

“My lady,” he said.

“Provost Errapel, it is very nice to see you again,” she said. “Let us sit.”

The Provost sat back down, simultaneously grateful and disappointed that their chairs were opposite each other with the table in between. He watched as the Duchess dismissed the staff with a nod, and poured the tea for them herself.

“Darjeeling with lemon, right Provost?” she asked as she passed him his cup.

He took it with a clear look of surprise on his face. “How did you know?” he asked.

She looked a bit confused for a moment before smiling. “Lucky guess,” she said, as she added milk and sugar to hers. “Do help yourself to the biscuits.”

He smiled and picked up a ginger biscuit from the plate, skipping over the jammy dodgers which he thought were the vilest things ever invented. The Duchess watched this with a small, amused smile. “So, do tell me what has happened so far with the project,” she said, taking a sip of her tea.

He cleared his throat and unfurled the silver scroll he had brought. A quick pattern was typed out on it and a holographic 3-d plan burst forth in front of them. “As you see, it is to be three storeys for now,” he said. “The older children will of course have rooms on the upper floors, and there are staff quarters over here…”

~

Jarrett was on cloud nine. His first date with Rina had gone splendidly. They had taken the gondola down the canal, where Jarrett had set up a picnic for them on the roof of one of the abandoned villas. 

Though they were both a little shy at first, they realised that they had plenty of things in common as they talked. Jarrett discovered that Rina could be quite the conversationalist once her initial shyness melted away, and he found himself mesmerised by the way her eyes would sparkle when she spoke about the things she liked.

They spoke for what felt like hours, but then Rina had to go because it was part of her duties to be by the Duchess’ side come evening. Jarrett took them both back to the palace and walked her back to the gardens, where he kissed her hand in goodbye.

She blushed prettily, and left after promising to meet him again the next day. Jarrett turned to go as well, when he saw that there was a small section of the garden cordoned off by tall hedges where he could hear voices from. He peeked in through the hedges curiously, and saw the Provost and the Duchess sitting under the gazebo, talking in serious tones about the small holographic building model in front of them.

Jarrett smiled a little as he left them to it and left the gardens. The Provost had done so much for Venice already and it was good to see that the Duchess was willing to help as well. He had been a bit ambivalent about the Duke and his way of ruling Venice, but it seemed as if his wife more than made up for the things that he neglected.

He trotted back into town, thanked Nolan for looking after the shop, and started planning his next date with Rina.

~

The Duchess put her shoes on and checked her reflection again. Her first meeting with the Provost had been nearly four days ago, and they had met every afternoon since to discuss the orphanage and its planning. She’d found out that he had worked really hard, and apart from a few suggestions from her, he truly had carried the whole thing on his own.

She knew that it would rain today but she had still scheduled their daily meeting which she hoped would end long before evening when the rains would start. She had come to enjoy their meetings, and she enjoyed the conversations she had with the Provost. He was widely read, had so many weird and wonderful ideas that she knew that she could listen to him for days.

They had an easy camaraderie, which she felt she had never had with anyone else, and even after just four meetings she felt like they had known each other for years. His presence put her at ease, and every evening, their goodbye would be prolonged for just a few minutes longer.

The Duchess blushed lightly in remembrance of the polite kiss on her hand that he had given last evening before saying goodbye. He never did anything untoward her, and she would have almost thought that her attraction to him was entirely one-sided had she never seen the intense look in his eyes every time she smiled or said something entirely witty. It was different than the way her husband looked at her, yet the possessiveness was almost too familiar. It was that look that served as a reminder to her that she was married and had a husband who loved her. But the quiet simmering tension between her and the Provost was getting almost unbearable.

She smiled as she descended down the stairs, knowing that she would be seeing him soon. Sure enough, when she went to the garden, he was sitting in his spot under the gazebo, his eyes trained on the doors that he knew she would come through. When he saw her, a beautiful smile lit up his face and he got to his feet as he always did.

“My lady,” he said, bowing to her. The Duchess took a moment to realise that he never called her Jessamine, even after she told him to call her that. Somehow she felt it wouldn’t sound quite right from him if he did.

“Good afternoon, Provost,” she greeted as they both sat down. The chairs, once on the opposite side of the table, were now side by side with hardly an inch between them. “Tea?” she asked, even though she knew the answer.

“Yes, please,” he said with a smile. 

A gust of warm afternoon wind blew through the garden, and the Duchess laughed when one of her curls blew itself onto the Provost’s cheek. She set the teapot down and brushed the golden lock off his face, only realising what she had done when she saw his shocked look. She abruptly removed her hand, blushing crimson as she busied herself with the tea things. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the hint of pink on his pale cheeks.

Her hand shook slightly as she gave him his cup of tea, the quiet intensity in the air making her feel light-headed. His fingers brushed hers as he took the cup, and both of them met each others’ gaze heatedly before looking away sharply.

The Duchess could barely concentrate on making her own tea, painfully aware of the man sitting next to her. Her heart hammered in her chest and she nearly dropped the sugar tongs from her shaking fingers. The Provost caught them before she did, and placed them back on the tray. His hand brushed hers as he sat back, she didn’t dare look at him for fear of what she would see. The hand that he had touched tingled with that brief touch and she clenched it in a fist, hoping to collect herself.

Her tea sat forgotten, and she saw that he had stopped drinking as well. The air between them seemed to crackle, and feeling bold for the first time that afternoon, she loosened her fist and sat back in her chair, letting her hand brush his hand as she did.

It was his turn to gasp, but instead of letting it pass like she had, he turned his hand little so that her fingers tangled with his own lightly. She looked at him in surprise, and saw how dark his eyes had gone. Emboldened by it, she linked their fingers together more firmly and turned in her chair so that she was facing him. 

His eyes softened when he felt her grip on his hand tighten and he stroked his thumb over their clasped hands, almost like a practiced movement. She felt her eyes flutter shut at that tender movement and in the next moment, she felt his cool lips press a kiss to their clasped hands. He seemed to pause then, as if asking for permission. The Duchess leaned in closer without opening her eyes, and felt excitement rise in her heart when he nuzzled her cheek softly. 

With a sharp intake of breath, she tilted her head and let her lips touch his in a chaste gesture. His lips parted beneath hers and a quiet sigh escaped them as he caught her bottom lip and nibbled on it softly. Their noses brushed each other while their lips moved together in perfect harmony as if they had done this many times before. But then his free hand sought out her other hand and she knew the exact moment when he felt the cold band of her wedding ring. 

He pulled away with a gasp, looking horrified. The Duchess felt her own face flood with colour as her gaze dropped to her lap. The Provost stood up hastily, looking quite unsettled himself. He gathered up his silver scroll and bowed quickly to her. “My lady,” he said and then turned around and nearly fled the palace.

The Duchess felt tears rise in her eyes and she wiped them away quickly and composed herself before returning to the palace. She was thankful that no one had witnessed it, the staff being too busy to linger around that part of the garden and her husband being in the council chambers.

The thought of her husband brought more tears to her eyes and she nearly ran back to her chambers, wishing to be alone when she cried. She had only just shut herself in her room, when she heard footsteps that she knew could only belong to her husband. He let himself into her chambers, and she got to her feet quickly, wondering if he had discovered what had happened.

“Jessamine?” 

“Y-yes?” she cursed herself for stumbling.

“I am so sorry, darling,” he said, pacing in her chambers looking quite agitated.

“Sorry? What for?” she asked, feeling confused and a little scared.

“I tried to tell them, but it is vitally important. I am so sorry, my love,” he said.

“What?” she asked, now thoroughly confused.

“The Council,” he said, looking at her in surprise. “The matter with the rest of Italy is at a crucial point. My presence is required at once.”

A breath left her in a whoosh. “You are leaving Venice?” she asked in surprise.

“Only for a few days,” he said, taking her hands in his. “I’m sorry, I know I promised to be by your side.”

The tears from her eyes started flowing again, as guilt rose in her heart. He mistook her tears for sadness, and kissed her forehead softly. “Darling, please don’t cry,” he begged. “I won’t be able to leave if you do.”

She sniffed and nodded quickly, trying to stop her tears. “It’s alright. You have your duties,” she said, sounding a little calmer now.

He smiled a little and kissed her tears away. “I won’t be long, and I shall think of you every moment I am away,” he promised.

“Whe-when do you have to go?” she asked.

“Right now, I am afraid. We have to leave before the rains start,” he said.

She nodded and kissed his cheek quickly. “Go on, then,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

He looked saddened but nodded back at her assurance. He cupped her face and kissed her slowly, not really noticing that she had gone very stiff in his arms. “Goodbye,” he said.

She mustered up a smile for him. “Goodbye,” she said as he smiled at her and left.

Her smile dropped from her face and she wiped her tears off quickly. She told the staff that she was to be left alone until the next day, and went into her wardrobe to pick up a veil that would sufficiently hide her face.

It was time for some explanations.

~

The Provost checked the church supplies almost absently, his mind firmly on the kiss that he and the Duchess had shared. Never, not even in his wildest dreams, had he thought that she would welcome and return his advances. But it had been too much, she had been too much. He had to leave, or he would have continued right there and then, damn all the consequences.

He’d seen the tears in her eyes, and he was half-terrified that the guards would be coming in to drag him in front of the Duke. That was why he did jump violently when the door to his office opened rather roughly. He turned around in shock, but was confused when he saw a woman dressed in a plain, yet expensive white dress, her face hidden by a veil. He knew that the rains would be coming down soon, and he was about to tell her to leave before she got caught in the downpour, when she raised the veil from her face.

He stepped back in shock when he realised it was the Duchess. “M-my lady,” he stuttered, but before he could muster up a bow, she had walked right up to him.

“Why?” she asked plainly.

“My lady?” he asked, confused.

“Why did you run?” she asked.

His gaze fell. “I apologise for my appalling behaviour, Highness. I never meant to...I would never have...I am sorry,” he finished lamely.

“No,” she said and he looked up at her in surprise. She was looking a bit shaken, but otherwise determined. “Don’t say you regret it. Please don’t.”

He cupped her face with one hand, unable to help himself. “My lady, you have a husband. It wouldn’t be right…” he said, trying to convince himself as well as her.

She touched the hand that was held to her cheek and entwined their fingers together. “Some minutes ago, I was kissed by my husband, and it felt as if I was betraying you rather than the other way around. Tell me Provost, why should the kiss with my own husband feel more foreign than the stolen kiss we shared?” she asked.

He stared at her in shock, his mouth opening and closing as his words refused to come out. “Per-perhaps it was just the heat of the moment, my lady,” he said, but could hear how hollow his words sounded. In truth, there had been such honesty in that kiss, that a big part of him refused to dismiss it regardless of the moral implications.

She peered sharply at him, undeterred by his words. “Then look me in the eye and say that it felt wrong to you. I shall leave, and keep my distance from you,” she said.

The Provost could feel himself trembling, knowing that if he gave in, it would invite a whole world of trouble in his life. Yet looking at her earnest golden brown eyes, he knew that it would be all worth it even if all he got were a few stolen moments with her.

The decision came rather quickly to him then, and he decided to answer the best way he could, and tilted his head to kiss her gently. He felt her smile against his lips as she kissed him back, and he knew that she was absolutely right. This felt more right than anything else. 

His hand moved from her cheek to wrap around her waist as he pulled her closer, letting his lips drift over cheeks, nose and eyelids before moving back to her mouth. He removed the veil from her hair, letting it fall behind her and pulled away to look at her in question. She smiled reassuringly at him, and guided his hands towards the buttons holding her dress close.

Outside, the rains began to fall on Venice.

~

The Duke was awoken rudely from his sleep, and he blinked angrily into the darkness. “Who is it?” he demanded roughly.

“Oh, it is just me,” said the smooth, male voice and the Duke stiffened.

“What are you doing here? I thought you would have gone by now,” said the Duke, trying to sound amiable and not scared as he truly was.

“I had gone, but I had to return. You have been slacking, Nathaniel Celandine. I thought we had a deal,” the man continued.

The Duke stiffened. “I have kept my part,” he insisted.

“Oh, have you indeed? Tell me then, why does your wife lie with a man that is not you?”

He got to his feet angrily, forgetting that he was supposed to be scared. “How dare you! She is not like that, and she would never betray me!”

“No, Jessamine Celandine would never have betrayed you,” the voice was amused now. “Do you forget who she really is?”

The Duke sat back down, his hands shaking. “No, you promised me that it had worked. You promised that she wouldn’t remember,” he said accusingly.

“I also recall telling you that having the Doctor close to her was a mistake. It was a matter of time before her heart chose what it wanted, regardless of anything we could have done to her mind.”

The Duke started shaking his head. “No, I will not allow it,” he said furiously. “She will not leave me again.”

“Good,” the voice was satisfied. “Go back to Venice now and stop them. Remember our deal, Nathaniel. Rose Tyler must not remember who she is.”


	49. The Venetian Tragedy: Lithium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be an interlude after this chapter.

Jarrett was troubled ever since he had seen what had happened in the garden. He had said goodbye to Rina and was about to return home when he had seen the Provost and the Duchess again. Except this time, they had been kissing instead.

He’d clapped a hand to his mouth to stop his gasp, when the Provost got up suddenly and left. The Duchess had stayed for a while before running back into the palace. Jarrett had been in a daze as he returned home and waited for the rain to come down.

He knew he should have been appalled at what he had witnessed. He had tremendous respect for the Provost, and he doubted the man would make advances on a married woman. Yet, for some bizarre reason, he didn’t think that there had been anything wrong with those two kissing, almost like he had seen it before. 

It had him puzzled, and he did not dare say anything to Rina or Nolan or anyone else. The next day, he went about his day as usual, and went to see Rina around midday.

She greeted him with a kiss, and he smiled despite his mood. “So, what are we doing today?” she asked excitedly.

He thought of the trip to the museum he had planned, but changed his mind quickly. “How about we stay in today?” he asked. 

She grinned at him and looped her arm through his. “Come on then, lead the way,” she said.

Jarrett and Rina left the palace and walked back to his modest house. While Rina looked around it in excitement, Jarrett set about making lunch for the two of them.

“So,” he began casually. “How long can you stay today?”

Rina grinned at him. “As long as you want. The Duchess gave me the day off,” she said.

Jarrett raised his eyebrows. “She did?” he asked, trying to sound uninterested.

Rina nodded as she plopped down on the sofa. “The Duke left Venice yesterday and she stayed shut in her chambers all day. Then, this morning, she tells me to take the rest of the day off and asked the rest of the staff not to bother her. Not even for meals, she said.”

Jarrett thought that was rather bizarre, but put the matter out of his mind for the time being. “So, we can stay in all day?” he asked with a charming smile.

Rina blushed but returned his smile boldly. “If you want.”

Jarrett winked at her. “Oh, I do,” he said as he swept her up in his arms.

~

“What are you doing?” the Duchess asked with laughter in her voice as he traced his finger down her back.

“Connecting the constellations,” the Provost said unashamedly, as goosebumps rose on her rosy skin.

She turned around to lay on her back instead and looked up at him with shining eyes. “Are you sure we are alone for today?” she asked.

He nuzzled her neck and nodded. “Completely,” he said. “And what's so funny, my lady?" he asked, when she giggled.

"Just us," she said, tilting her head back to allow him access to more skin of her neck.

"What about us?" he asked, between kisses to her pulse point.

"This feels right, you know," she said, gasping when he sucked at the spot. "You and me. Like this."

"Hmm, I agree," he said, raising his head to look at the small mark he had made. He thought about what she was saying and knew that there were so many reasons why this would hurt one day when she was no longer with him, whether by their choice or not. But right now, in this moment, just lying in her arms and kissing her like they had eons ahead of them, was the best feeling in the universe. He glanced down at her sparkling eyes that held so much love in them for him, and was unable to resist pressing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

They broke apart from the kiss with a loud gasp, slightly unnerved by the sense of déjà vu that had fallen over them. It took the Duchess a moment to place where she’d read that conversation before. She grinned. “I didn’t know you were a fan,” she said.

The Provost looked a little confused. “A fan? Of what?” he asked.

“The book, about the Doctor and Rose,” she said. “That conversation we had was almost word for word,” she added, running her hand through his hair as he kissed his way down her body.

He shook his head, tickling her stomach with his hair. “I have never read this book about the Doctor and Rose that you are talking about,” he insisted. “But the names, they do sound familiar. Someone must have mentioned it to me.”

“Yeah, maybe,” she said, but then the Provost urged her to wrap her legs around his head and all conversation ceased after that.

~

“I made tea!” Rina announced as she walked back into the bedroom, holding a tray.

“Oh, you are a mind reader,” said Jarrett as he jumped out of bed in only his breeches since Rina was wearing his loose white shirt as a dress.

“Nope, I just know you that well,” she said with a grin.

“I am so glad you do,” he said as he took the tray from her hands and set it aside before pulling her in for a kiss. They were rudely interrupted by the door to his house slamming open. Five palace guards walked in quickly, followed by the Duke himself who looked enraged.

“Where is she?” he demanded.

Jarrett and Rina looked confused, and Rina tried to hide behind Jarrett, aware of her barely dressed status. “Highness, is there something wrong?” asked Jarrett.

The Duke walked up to him and for a moment Jarrett thought he would strike him, but he grabbed Rina’s arm instead and dragged her to the front. “Where is she? Where is Jessamine?” he demanded.

Rina cried out in pain. “She is at the palace, Highness. I swear,” she sobbed.

“Highness, please, you are hurting her,” said Jarrett as he moved to help but was held back by a guard.

The Duke tightened his grip on her arm. “You are supposed to look after her. That’s what I pay you for, isn’t it? So, how is it that she is gone under your watch?”

Rina looked surprised. “I do not know, Highness. She asked to be left alone. I only obeyed her wishes,” she said. “Please, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The Duke released her arm and she clutched it in pain, trying not to cry. “Kill her,” he told his guards.

“NO!” shouted Jarrett as he tried to struggle but two guards held him back as a third one grabbed Rina and slit her throat from ear to ear. “RINA!”

Her limp body fell to the floor, blood gushing out from the gaping wound at her throat. Jarrett felt himself go numb as he fell to the ground on his knees, trying to stop the bleeding but he knew she was already dead. Bile rose in his throat but before he could even bring himself to vomit, he was grabbed by the guards who held him up in front of the Duke.

“Don’t worry,” said the Duke with a twisted smile. “I won’t kill you, Fitz Kreiner. You are going to be useful yet.”

~

“If I had known you were this mad…” said the Duchess, shaking her head in amusement as the Provost rowed the gondola down the canal.

“Then what?” he asked as he expertly rowed them through a quieter part of Venice towards their destination.

The Duchess laughed. “Then I might have kissed you sooner,” she said.

He looked at her fondly, wishing her beautiful smile wasn’t hidden by her veil. But it wouldn’t do for her to be recognised by anyone. 

“So, where are we going exactly?” she asked.

“There’s a villa just around the corner with a rather lovely rooftop garden. I thought we could share a quiet meal,” he said.

“Sounds lovely,” she said as he docked the gondola and stepped out before offering his hand to her.

The Duchess climbed out, and watched as he opened the door with a key hanging off the lotus pendant he wore around his neck, signifying his position as the Provost. The door opened easily but when they stepped inside, the Provost let out a shout as he was grabbed by guards.

The Duchess realised what was happening, when she saw her husband standing inside the wide living room of the villa with the guards by his side. “Oh god…” she whispered.

The Duke laughed harshly. “Oh god? That’s what you say after everything? Oh God?” he shouted angrily as he grabbed her arms and shook her.

She cried out, more in surprise than pain, and the Provost shouted angrily but was stopped by the guards holding him back. The Duke glared at her. “I gave you everything. I loved you, and you betrayed me!”

“Let go of me!” she said, struggling in his grip.

“Oh, am I hurting you? Really?” he demanded sarcastically. “Is that what’s happening, Jessamine?” he said her name like a curse word as he shook her again.

She shoved his chest angrily, surprised by even her own strength when his grip on her faltered. She opened her mouth to say something, anything really, when the Duke laughed harshly. “He was right. I should never have left you two close,” he said, glaring at the Provost who was struggling against the guards.

“What are you talking about?” asked the Duchess, rubbing her arms to soothe the ache that his painful grip had brought on.

Instead of answering, the Duke looked to one of the guards. “Bring him forth,” he said.

The Duchess watched in surprise as a man was brought into the room, whom she recognised as the florist she had thought was familiar. Upon seeing them, his eyes went wide. “Doctor! Rose!” he said.

“Jarrett! What are you on about?” demanded the Provost.

He shook his head. “I am not Jarrett. Look, you have to remember. I am Fitz Kreiner, and you are the Doctor, and she is Rose Tyler,” he said and then glared at the Duke who looked rather amused. “He has done something to us. Brainwashed or something.”

“That will be enough out of you,” said the Duke as a guard held his dagger to Fitz’s throat. “What do you think then, my darling?” he asked the Duchess mockingly. 

At her look of disbelief, he nodded at a guard who pushed aside the curtain at the door leading to the next room. There, standing in the doorway, was a blue police box. The same one that the Duchess had read stories about.

She shook her head. “It can’t be,” she gasped. “The Doctor and Rose are just a story. They’re not real,” she said and then glanced at the Provost who was looking between her and the box in disbelief.

“Wrong again,” said the Duke as he drew a shining blue crystal from his pockets and held it up to her.

Immediately, the Duchess felt as if someone had seized her brain and was driving rusty nails into it with a hammer. She fell to her knees and cried out in pain, vaguely aware that someone was lifting her back to her feet.

As the screams in her brain died down, she realised that it had been Fitz who had helped her up and was currently keeping her upright. Fitz, whom they had met in 1963 while battling Cassandra. Frantically, she looked for the Doctor and found him hunched over as he clutched his head. She tried to move towards him but the Duke grabbed her arm and held her in place.

“Not so fast, Rose Tyler,” he said as the guard held Fitz hostage again.

Rose could still feel her head spinning, but she refused to look away from the Doctor as he got up slowly and was immediately seized by the guards. 

“Nifty thing that Metebelis Three crystal,” said the Doctor, sounding like he had run a marathon. “How did you get it?” he directed the question at the Duke.

“You have some interesting enemies, Doctor,” said the Duke. 

His words invoked a memory in Rose’s mind. _“I hope I don’t get carted off as her,” she said._

_As they entered the building, everyone went silent. Rose met the Doctor’s gaze but before they could move, someone had sounded the alarm._

_“The Duchess has been found!”_

She blinked in surprise and looked at the Duke who was smirking at her. “I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw you. You looked just like her, and I thought, why not. Some basic memory suggestions and minor telepathic alterations with the Metebelis crystal, and no one would be able to tell,” he said.

“You brainwashed me,” said Rose, feeling sick to her stomach. “You brainwashed me into thinking I was someone else. Someone who loved you.”

“And why not?” demanded the Duke angrily, tightening his grip on her. “She died too young, and my advisors told me that it wouldn’t do for my reputation to have lost a wife so young.”

“So you told the people she had disappeared instead?” she asked, feeling disgusted.

“Yes, why not?” he said. “And then when you came along, I only had to add in a few suggestions in that pretty head of yours, and everything would have been fine.”

Rose flinched sharply, feeling revolted by the idea that he had messed with her head. She looked at the Doctor, who seemed to be simmering with anger.

“But why keep Fitz and I around?” demanded the Doctor, with forced calm in his voice.

“I was being kind,” snapped the Duke. “I could have killed you, and I regret that I didn’t. But that shall be fixed soon enough. After you’re both dead, I can revert the process on her and Jessamine will be back again.”

“Fat chance of that happening,” shouted Fitz who had been suspiciously quiet the entire time. “After everything you did, do you think we’ll just let you get away with it? You killed Rina, you maniac!”

The Duke rolled his eyes. “Kill them,” he ordered his guards.

“No!” shouted Rose as the guards seized the Doctor and Fitz. “Please, let them go. I’ll stay.”

The Duke held up a hand and the guards stopped in their tracks. “Say that again,” he said, looking at Rose.

Rose took a deep breath. “Let the Doctor and Fitz go. They’ll take the TARDIS and leave. I’ll remain here,” she said.

“Rose! What the hell are you on about?” demanded Fitz, looking at her like she had lost her mind. Next to him, he could feel the tension radiating off the Doctor.

She turned around and smiled at him. “It’s the best way, Fitz,” she said. “You and the Doctor should go. I’ll stay right here by the Duke’s side.”

He looked at the Doctor, who was looking angrier than Fitz had ever seen. Rose noticed it too, and she smiled reassuringly at him. “It’s alright, Doctor,” she said. “Please, take Fitz and the TARDIS and leave. I’ll be right here.”

In quick strides, he was standing in front of her and cupping her face with both hands. The guards made to move forward but the Duke had them halt. The Doctor rested his forehead on Rose’s and closed his eyes. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“It’s the only way,” she said, tearing up a little. “Please go.”

The Doctor’s grip on her tightened and for a moment, it looked like he wouldn’t let her go. But then he removed his hands from her and turned around to walk back into the TARDIS. Rose blinked back her tears and smiled at Fitz. “Take care of him, Fitz,” she said.

Fitz stared at her in shock, hardly believing that this was happening. He opened his mouth, not knowing what it was that he could say when he heard the Doctor’s angry shout calling for him.

“Go,” said Rose, her smile vanishing. “Go now, Fitz. I’ll be at the Duke’s side.”

Fitz looked between her and the TARDIS in despair but he turned around and walked into the TARDIS as well. The doors shut behind him, and with her usual, wheezing, groaning sounds, the TARDIS vanished.

~

“We can’t just leave her there with that maniac,” said Fitz as soon as he walked into the TARDIS.

The Doctor ignored him, focusing on the controls on the console. 

“Doctor? Are you even listening? We are not leaving Rose behind…”

“Fitz!” thundered the Doctor, looking at him sharply. “I am rather focused on doing some very precise navigation, and I need you to SHUT UP!”

Fitz blinked in surprise before it clicked. Rose had kept repeating the same thing, as she was telling them to leave. She said she would be right there, at the Duke’s side. Oh, that clever girl!

Before he knew it, the TARDIS started materialising again, and he saw the Duke and Rose in the console room, getting more solid by the second. When the TARDIS landed fully, the Duke let out a shout of surprise.

Rose turned around and landed a square punch on his jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor like a sack of spuds. “That’s for messin’ with my ‘ead, you bastard!” she shouted.

Fitz felt his jaw hit the floor, but before he could congratulate Rose for that excellent punch, he saw the Doctor sweep her up and kiss her like she had been gone for years instead of minutes. Fitz raised his eyebrows in surprise. Those two rarely ever kissed in his presence, to the point that he doubted that the Doctor and Rose had ever actually had sex, but he didn’t have doubts anymore with the way that the Doctor was kissing her.

He felt a pang in his heart as he thought of Rina, and he looked away from them, unable to bear the sight. The Duke started to come around, and Fitz cleared his throat which had the Doctor and Rose pulling away at last.

“Ah, right then,” said the Doctor as he set Rose down and bent over the Duke to snatch the Metebelis crystal from him. “Give me a hand, Fitz. I think it’s time the Duke left, don’t you?”

Fitz was only too happy to help as he and the Doctor picked up the dazed Duke and unceremoniously tossed him out of the TARDIS, right into the arms of his bemused guards. The doors were shut before the guards even realised what happened.

“There, that’s taken care of that then,” said Fitz, dusting off his hands dramatically.

“Not quite,” said Rose and they turned around to see a man dressed as a Mandarin standing near the console.

The Doctor scowled. “Should have known,” he muttered. “Don’t you have anything better to do?” he asked crossly.

The Crystal Guardian shrugged. “I was bored,” he said. “The Guardians have been asked to leave you both alone, but I cannot resist some mischief once in a while.”

“They’re leaving us alone?” asked Rose sceptically. “Last we met, you lot were trying your hardest to get me killed.”

“New consequences, new decisions,” said the Crystal Guardian. “Plus, that incomplete bond of yours was just begging to be trifled with.”

“Well, you’ve had your amusement then,” snapped the Doctor. “Now, leave.”

“With pleasure,” said the Crystal Guardian with a bow towards Rose and then the Doctor and Fitz. His eyes lingered on Fitz for a moment, but he said nothing as he vanished slowly and left a deathly silence behind.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" asked Fitz finally.

Rose looked at the Doctor. "You explain," she said. "I need a bath. Meet me in the library for tea?"

His eyes softened and he nodded. "Alright," he said and then turned to Fitz. "Let me start from the beginning..."


	50. Interlude: Life With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Human Nature' was a Seventh Doctor novel before being a Tenth Doctor episode and I have used it for convenience in the timeline.

“Here,” said the Doctor as he poured Fitz a drink. “Single malt, given to me by a very old friend.”

Fitz took the glass and sipped the whiskey slowly. “Thanks,” he mumbled, going back to staring at his feet.

The Doctor sighed and sat down opposite him at the kitchen table. “I am truly sorry for your loss, Fitz,” he said.

“Yeah, I know,” said Fitz, taking a long gulp of his drink. “So, this Guardian was just doing it for fun? To mess with us?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” said the Doctor. “It’s what they do, Fitz. Meddle with the lives of ephemerals, sometimes for their gain or sometimes merely for their own amusement.”

“Rina’s death wasn’t funny!” snapped Fitz before falling quiet again. “Sorry,” he sighed. “I know it’s not your fault.”

The Doctor stared at him compassionately. “You are allowed to be angry, Fitz, and you have to allow yourself to mourn her. Don’t feel the need to apologise for it,” he said quietly.

Fitz looked at the amber liquid in his glass as he spoke his next words quietly. “I wasn’t in love with her,” he said.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, but waited for him to elaborate.

“It was Jarrett who fell in love with her. Jarrett Vincent who had a good job, a nice house, who planned wonderful dates for her and who loved her the way she deserved,” he confessed, self-loathing pouring in through every word. “I am a monster, aren’t I? Because I don’t feel like a man who lost the woman he loved. I feel like...well, I don’t know what I feel, to be honest.”

“Not knowing what you feel does not mean you don’t feel anything, Fitz,” said the Doctor kindly. “Nor does it make you a monster.”

“But I don’t...well, I feel guilty, an-and sad, but it isn’t any different from what I have felt when someone else died. Is that it then? Am I just getting used to death, Doctor?” asked Fitz, tears gathering in his eyes.

“Oh, Fitz, I am so sorry,” said the Doctor, looking quite pained himself. 

Fitz shook his head bitterly. “I am becoming like you, aren’t I? Except if you lost Rose, you would be going mad by now. And I’m sittin’ here with a drink in my hand,” he finished in disgust.

The Doctor was silent for a while. “Forgive me for saying this, Fitz, but it is a rather unfair comparison,” he said quietly.

“Why?” demanded Fitz. “Because I didn’t know Rina for as long, or because I wasn’t myself when I fell in love with her?”

“Did I ever tell you about the time I disguised myself as a human and went into hiding in 1913?” asked the Doctor. At Fitz’s confused look, he continued. “I had a friend with me, Benny. For me, it was a curiosity to see what human nature and love had to do with each other. So, I changed my biology and hid as a human.”

“You didn’t know who you were?” asked Fitz, curious despite himself.

“No, I thought I was John Smith, a schoolteacher,” said the Doctor. “I, well my human self, he fell in love with a woman. Joan Redfern, she worked at the school too. I-he planned to marry her and have a family. But when I was back to being myself, I found that my feelings for Joan were no longer what they once were. I felt terribly guilty, of course, and terribly sad too, but I knew that I was the Doctor, and not a human man who could give her what she desired.”

“So, you’re saying I wouldn’t have loved Rina after the brainwashing was gone?” asked Fitz.

“I am not saying that,” said the Doctor gently. “Perhaps you would have, or perhaps you wouldn’t have, and I am truly sorry that you will never get to find out for yourself. My point is, you are allowed to doubt your feelings for her, Fitz. She fell in love with Jarrett Vincent, and you have to ask yourself if she would have loved Fitz Kreiner too.”

Fitz fell silent. “Then how did you and Rose manage to fall in love even when you weren’t yourselves?” he asked quietly.

“Again, that is an unfair comparison,” said the Doctor. “I am not a human being, Fitz. I do not fall in love the way humans do. When I choose to love someone the way I love Rose, well, let’s just say that things are a lot different.”

“But Rose is human,” protested Fitz.

“Yes, and it was one of the things that made me think that what I felt for her shall remain unrequited. But there are things in our past, mine and hers, that have had an impact on the way I have chosen to love her. Oh, I fell in love with her long before I knew better, but with everything that I know, I consider myself incredibly lucky and I intend to spend as much of my time with her as she will allow,” he confessed quietly. He shook his head, as if realising that he might have said too much. “I am sorry that you won’t get the same with Rina, Fitz, but it doesn’t do to dwell on what could and might have been.”

“You’re telling me to mourn her and move on?” asked Fitz calmly. 

“Yes, I suppose I am,” said the Doctor. “Take as long as you need, Fitz.”

Fitz sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I get what you are saying, I really do. Thing is, Doctor, I am not sure I can,” he confessed. “I can’t be sure that what am I feeling, or more specifically not feeling, has to do with Rina or if I have just become too much like you.”

The Doctor considered him quietly. “Are you happy with us, Fitz?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am, at least I think I am,” said Fitz. “You’re right, I do need time. But not on the TARDIS. I think I need time away from here.”

The Doctor nodded. “I understand,” he said. “Is there somewhere you would like to be?”

“I don’t know,” said Fitz. “I’ll know in the morning. That alright?”

“Of course,” said the Doctor. “Good night, Fitz.”

Fitz mustered up a small smile and nodded. “Night, Doctor,” he said. “Tell Rose too, would you?”

“Of course,” said the Doctor with a soft smile as Fitz finished off his drink and went towards his room.

~

Rose had been quiet as she had showered and put on her pajamas, her mind on the Guardian’s words. This bond, whatever it was, seemed important and she had a feeling that it had something to do with the conversation that she and the Doctor had somehow managed to put off several times now.

It was after Rome that she knew she had fallen asleep before hearing what the Doctor had had to say. He’d tried again and again, but they always seemed to be interrupted by a new adventure or a new calamity. She shook her head and went to the library. She’d have answers soon enough.

The Doctor was sitting in his armchair by the fire, having changed into his usual clothes. He looked up and smiled softly at her as she entered.

“How is he?” she asked as she sat down sideways across his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“He says he needs time away from the TARDIS,” said the Doctor, a hand stroking across her bare legs as he pulled her closer with the other.

“Where will he go?” asked Rose, concerned.

“He’ll decide in the morning,” sighed the Doctor. “How do you feel?” he asked, looking at her in concern.

“Alright, I guess,” she said. “You?”

“Fine,” he said, letting his fingertips dance across her legs. “So, the bond?” At Rose’s nod, he sighed and continued. “It’s a telepathic bond, linking of minds between people who...well…”

“Love each other?” prompted Rose.

He smiled softly at her. “Yes,” he said sincerely. “It happened when we met Cassandra. She was compressing you to death, and the only way would have been to telepathically touch your mind and throw her out.”

“But you and I have done the telepathic thing before, remember?” asked Rose, slightly confused. “When Amy and I helped you unlock the memory of the Vardans.”

“Ah yes,” said the Doctor. “I had my shields up at that time and I had invited you and Amy in, and besides, things for us have changed since then.”

“Because of Arkytior and the Other?” asked Rose, in the same, calm voice that she had been using.

“Partly,” he said honestly. “But mostly because I stopped denying it to myself. I was in love with you, Rose Tyler, and I knew that if I just let these precious moments between us go by unrequited, I would live the rest of my lives in regret.”

Rose’s eyes softened momentarily before she composed herself. “So, because you touched my mind when you were aware of your feelings, the bond was formed?”

The Doctor nodded. “Telepathy for me and my people can be a very intimate act, Rose,” he said. “It can be used as any other sense, provided the shields are up and we are able to control it. But when someone comes along that we care about the way I care about you, it is very difficult to control it.”

“So it was an accident,” concluded Rose with a grimace. “Is that why you practically ignored me for a week after that?”

The Doctor drew her closer. “I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t an accident, Rose, but I do not regret it,” he said sincerely. “As for the week that followed, well, it was because I was ashamed.”

Rose stiffened and started to withdraw. The Doctor hastened to reassure her. “Not of you, darling, I would never be ashamed of you,” he said, pulling her back into his embrace. “I was ashamed because I wanted to do it properly. Court you, show you all the wonderful places in the universe, and when you were ready, ask you if you wanted to bond with me. Instead, I barged in without your permission and made myself at home,” he said.

Rose brought a hand to his cheek and touched it softly. “You don’t have to do all that,” she said quietly.

He shook his head. “I do,” he insisted. “You deserve so much more, Rose. I was sorry I was so distant in that week, but as silly as it sounds now, I had convinced myself that I didn’t deserve to be close to you after what I had done. The pain was my punishment.”

“You were in pain?” asked Rose, startled. Suddenly all the headaches and tiredness she had observed in him made sense. Guilt bubbled in her stomach at the very idea that she had been responsible for that. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He smiled sadly and kissed her wrist. “Don’t feel bad, Rose, you couldn’t have known,” he said. “A bond cannot be completed without consent and since I had gone along and started the process without you knowing, I deserved the pain that came with it.”

“It’s not complete?” asked Rose in surprise, tightening his grip on him.

He shook his head. “No, it isn’t,” he said. “There are several stages to the bond. We are still at the initiate stage. If you choose to accept, it will be an accepted bond. An accepted bond then has to be validated through a full telepathic bonding during consummation.”

Rose flushed a little, but nodded. “So, if I accept, it would be like getting engaged? And then the validation is like marriage?” she asked, trying to understand.

“To put it simply, yes,” he said, his hearts racing despite himself. “Rose, do understand that you can reject the bond if you want. An incomplete bond will start to hurt you if you don’t accept or reject it soon.”

Rose’s brow furrowed. “What would happen to you if I rejected it?” she asked.

The Doctor hesitated; he had been hoping she wouldn’t ask that. “I-I will be…” he stopped himself from saying he would be alright because he knew she would catch the lie. “It will hurt me,” he confessed. “But please, Rose, you should only accept if you want to. The bond is not to be taken lightly. We would be bonded for life, Rose, mine and yours. There would never be anyone else for us.”

Rose was quiet as she processed all that. The Doctor let her gather his thoughts, choosing to observe the goosebumps that rose on her calves when his fingers ran over them. The pain would be agonising if she refused him. He didn’t know if he would survive it or be driven to regeneration. Even the new regeneration would acutely feel the pain, like a constant thorn. There was a reason that the instinct to bond had been bred out of Time Lords by Rassilon. 

Rose cleared her throat and the Doctor looked up at her. She looked determined. “If I choose to accept, what would we have to do?” she asked.

The Doctor’s hearts started to race again. “We will have to touch our minds, very briefly you understand. Then I would ask, and you would have to accept. Or reject, if you want to.”

“And all this telepathically? Will I be able to do it?” she asked, ignoring the last part.

“Yes,” he said.

She licked her lips and held his gaze for a moment. “Okay,” she said softly.

His eyebrows shot up. “Rose?”

“I want to accept,” she said, blushing a little.

“Rose, I want you to be sure,” he said earnestly.

She smiled and kissed his forehead. “I am sure,” she said. “You said yourself that you would have asked me eventually, right? Besides, when did we ever do things in the right order?” When he still looked a bit torn, she rested her forehead on his. “I know what I want, Doctor, and I love you. As long as it is you and me, I am alright with it, yeah?”

He pulled back and stared at her, slightly stunned by her fervent words. A smile started to blossom on his face and her answering giggle, made laughter bubble from his chest. In a swift gesture, he lifted her off him and deposited her into the chair opposite his before kneeling in front of her. Rose squeaked in surprise but her giggles fell silent when she saw the intense look in his eyes.

“May I?” he asked, lifting his hands towards her temple.

Rose scooted forward in her chair and nodded. Keeping his gaze on her, the Doctor cupped her face like he was holding the most precious of treasures in his hands. His fingers touched her temple and their eyes fluttered shut.

Rose found herself in the familiar orange haze again before it abruptly cleared into a bright light. As the light died down slowly, Rose saw herself standing alone at the ice skating rink that looked vaguely like the one on Europa. She looked around for the Doctor and saw him waiting at the other end of the rink, looking at her with an expectant smile.

“Rose Marion Tyler, will you do me the honour of accepting this bond?” he asked, and despite the distance between them, she heard the words as clearly as if he had whispered them in her ear.

Instinct taking over, Rose closed the distance between them by skating towards him. He caught her hands when she finally reached him. “Yes,” she said, meaning her acceptance completely.

His smile became impossibly wider, and a slow, golden haze began to take them over. Abruptly, they found themselves back in the library. Rose opened her eyes and was surprised to see tears blurring her vision. She blinked them away and looked at the Doctor, whose eyes looked quite moist too. 

Wordlessly, she closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. Without breaking the kiss, the Doctor picked her up bridal style and carried her out of the library. 

The accepted bond continued to hum gently between them.


	51. The Wizard of Camelot: Terra Nova

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final adventure in this story before the sequel.

“You look nervous,” said Rose quietly, so as to not startle the Doctor.

He jumped a little regardless, since he had thought that she was still asleep. “Not nervous,” he said, kissing the hand that he had been caressing. “Pondering, maybe.”

“Oh?” asked Rose, turning on her side to face him. “What were you pondering about?”

His fingers traced lightly over the bare ring finger of her hand as he picked his words carefully. “The future,” he said vaguely. 

Rose’s eyes softened a little. “You do realise that you don’t have to, right?” she asked, wanting to make sure he knew it.

His lips quirked up into a smile. “What? Think of the future? I am afraid that it is an inevitability for a Time Lord to do so,” he said.

Rose didn’t share his amusement. “I mean it,” she insisted. “Like I said last night, as long as it is you and me, it doesn’t matter. Everything else is just...immaterial.”

“That is what you think now, Rose,” said the Doctor, slightly melancholically. “Perhaps, one day you would…”

“Oh, would you stop?” said Rose as she rolled on top of him and straddled him. “I am not changing my mind and you ought to get it through that thick alien head of yours.” Her eyes softened. “I am not going anywhere, Doctor. You are stuck with me.”

“Yeah?” he asked with a slightly hopeful look in his eyes.

“Yes,” she said firmly.

“Well, in that case,” he said and rolled them around so that she was on the bottom. “We still have three hours until the morning,” he winked, peeling the duvet away from their tangled bodies.

~

Fitz looked up in surprise when there was a knock on his door. “Hiya, Rose,” he said with a small smile, when he saw her standing in the doorway.

She walked into his room and looked between his half-packed bag and him. “The Doctor said you are leaving,” she said.

Fitz sighed and gave a nod. “Just for a little while,” he said, zipping up the bag. “Maybe a week or so.”

“Where will you go?” asked Rose, concerned.

“Back to 1963,” he answered. “New York, to be on the safe side. I’ve always wanted to go, so why not now, eh?”

Rose smiled sadly. “You sure, though?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said softly. “I don’t deal well with death, Rose, I don’t think I ever have. I am scared that I am getting used to it, or worse that I have somehow stopped caring. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything about travelling with you and the Doctor, but me coming with you happened so quickly, that I don’t think I gave it all a proper thought. I think I should take a step back, just for a little while.”

Rose squeezed his shoulder and then pulled him into a hug. Fitz smiled and buried his face in her neck. “I’ll miss you, however long you are gone,” Rose whispered to him.

He pulled away and kissed her cheek. “I’ll miss you too, doll,” he said. “But I’ll be back before you know it.”

Rose smiled at him and linked her arm with his as he picked up his bag. The two of them went to the console room where they found the Doctor about to land the TARDIS.

He looked up when they arrived in the console room and gave a smile. “September 1963, New York City, as promised,” he announced as the TARDIS started materialise. “There, perfect landing.”

Fitz nodded at him with a small smile. “Thank you, Doctor,” he said sincerely.

The Doctor nodded gently and then reached into his coat. “Something for you,” he said and gave Fitz a blank, silver plastic card. “Unlimited credit card,” he said to his questioning look. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Fitz chuckled and slipped the card into his pocket. “I won’t,” he promised.

“Also, this,” said the Doctor and gave him a mobile phone. “It’s got the TARDIS number in it. Call us when you are ready.”

“Won’t this arouse suspicion?” asked Fitz as he pocketed the phone.

“Not if you’re careful with it. Keep it in your bag and use it only if you need it,” said the Doctor.

“Alright,” said Fitz and extended his hand to the Doctor. “See you soon, then.”

The Doctor ignored his outstretched hand and hugged him warmly. “Till we meet again, Fitz,” he said.

Fitz smiled at him and Rose, and left through the doors. The Doctor and Rose watched on the scanner as he walked out onto the busy New York street and turned the corner, after a wink at the police box.

~

“Rose! Rose, where are you?”

“Pool!” came the answering shout and the Doctor turned to go towards the pool. The TARDIS was being whimsical again, and their usual pool room had been turned into a desert oasis with warm sand and date trees all around the blue pool. Rose was floating in the water on her back, sans her bathing suit. She smiled at the Doctor when he sat down on one of the rocks in the sand. “Have we landed somewhere?” she asked.

The Doctor shook his head. “We’re still in the vortex. I wanted to ask you if there was somewhere in particular you wanted to go,” he said.

Rose shook her head. “Anywhere you want,” she said as she swam towards the ladder.

The Doctor spied a towel tossed on one of the rocks and he handed it to her as she climbed out of the pool. “Let’s see,” he considered. “We could go see Shakespeare. He does exist in this universe, you know, though he never wrote _Hamlet_. Such a shame,” he murmured. His voice brightened again. “Or, we could bungee jumping on Phobos. That is rather fun.”

“What’s Phobos?” asked Rose as she dried herself.

“It’s one of the two Martian moons. Deimos is the other one. That one isn’t as adventurous as Phobos, mind you,” he said. 

“Phobos sounds nice, if a little foreboding,” said Rose with a grin as she got dressed. “Shouldn’t we be steering clear of trouble for a bit?”

The Doctor’s grin widened. “Would you like us to steer clear of trouble, Rose Tyler?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.

Rose laughed and tossed her hair into a ponytail. “God no,” she said immediately.

The Doctor snatched up her hand as soon as she had finished buttoning up her blouse and straightening her skirt. Rose laughed as she ran after him barefoot. “Shouldn’t I get my shoes if we are going bungee jumping?” she asked in amusement.

“I want you to see Phobos from orbit before we land,” he said with a grin, but before he could touch the controls, the TARDIS gave a lurch, sending them both sprawling to the floor.

“What the bleeding hell!” shouted Rose, more shocked than hurt.

The Doctor tried to work the controls but the TARDIS kept groaning, like a pitiful moaning child, tossing her occupants around roughly. “I can’t control her,” he said, trying to unstick the jammed controls. 

Rose pulled herself to her feet and held on tightly to the metal scaffolding around the console. “Why? Is it the Time Lords? Are they messing with the controls again?” she asked.

The TARDIS landed with a loud thud, nearly throwing them both down again. “No,” said the Doctor, checking the controls. “It can’t be.”

“What is it?” asked Rose as she walked over to him. 

“We have left the parallel universe,” he said, surprised beyond belief. 

Rose’s eyes went wide. “Are we...back in the home universe?” she asked.

The Doctor took a moment to check a few readings. “No,” he said regretfully. “This is another world altogether.”

“How is that even possible? Wasn’t the parallel world sealed off?” asked Rose, alarmed.

“We appear to have slipped in through a gap,” he said. He started searching through his pockets and came upon a small ruby encased in a gold heart. He threaded the delicate pendant through a gold chain and gave it to Rose. “Here, put this on,” he said. “It will contain the radiation temporarily so that we don’t affect the web of time.”

Rose took the chain from him and put it around her neck. She didn’t feel any different after she had put it on, but it did stop her from worrying. “Is the scanner working? Where are we?” she asked.

The Doctor activated the screen but it appeared pitch black. “It’s not calibrated to this universe. We have to do this the old-fashioned way,” he said.

Rose nodded but then her eyes went wide. “Doctor, why is it getting darker in here?” she asked.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as they ran out of the TARDIS through the doors. He slammed the doors shut behind them. “The TARDIS was shutting herself down. The old girl’s had a rough ride through the void,” he said, patting the outside of the blue box fondly.

Rose glared at him. “Could have let me grab my shoes before you rushed me out, you know,” she said, looking down pointedly at her bare feet that were now slightly muddied.

“Ah,” said the Doctor sheepishly and then looked around. “We appear to be in a forest. Looks like Earth, feels like Earth, even if it is a parallel Earth.”

“You sure about that?” asked Rose, as she stood next to what looked like a rosebush, except it was as tall as Rose herself and had vines circling the bright red flowers that were the size of her fists.

“Rose, get away from that!” said the Doctor.

“What…?” Rose screamed in shock when she was yanked off her feet. Somehow, one of those vines had wrapped itself around her ankle when she had been standing next to it and was digging the thorns into her ankle. 

The Doctor knelt to the ground and sent a bolt of sonic energy at the vine around her ankle from the sonic screwdriver. The plant retreated at once, and Rose could feel the blood starting to flow from her ankle. 

The Doctor lifted her into his arms at once, but before he could take her into the TARDIS, they heard the unmistakeable sound of the TARDIS dematerialising. The two of them remained stunned as the TARDIS vanished right before their eyes.

The Doctor’s jaw tightened and he placed Rose down on one of the rocks nearby. “Doctor,” said Rose gently as he lifted up her ankle and started cleaning it with a disinfectant pad he found in his coat. 

“I have to stop the bleeding and bandage it,” he said, keeping his eyes fixed on her ankle. “It’s the best I can do for now.”

“Doctor,” said Rose insistently, knowing that he was avoiding the obvious problem. “What about the TARDIS?”

His jaw clenched, though he continued to bandage her ankle as gently as possible. “We’ll find her,” he said determinedly. “There, that’s done it.”

Rose flexed her ankle a little and bit her lip to stop the wince when pain shot up at the action. The Doctor didn’t miss the action though, and he helped her up, keeping a firm grip on her. “Don’t try to put too much weight on it,” he said. “Despite the large rosebush over there, I am positive that we are on Earth. There must be someone nearby that we can ask for help and then see what we can do about getting the TARDIS back.”

They tried to start walking, but without shoes and one foot throbbing with pain, Rose was finding it more and more difficult to walk. She tried to keep her pain quiet, though she was certain that the Doctor was aware of it which was why he stopped walking and knelt before her. “What are you doing?” asked Rose as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver.

“Numbing the pain for a while. It will hurt later, but I am hoping we find the TARDIS before then,” he said. “Is that alright?” he asked her.

Rose nodded quickly. “Yeah, sure,” she said. 

The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at her bandaged foot but turned around sharply when the bushes behind them rustled. “Who’s there?” he demanded, getting to his feet.

A man in a black knight’s garb emerged from the bushes, holding his broadsword in front of him. “I should be asking you that,” he said sternly.

The Doctor’s eyes went wide. “Ancelyn? Is that you?” he asked.

The knight looked taken aback. “Do we know each other?” he asked.

“Evidently not. Not yet, anyway,” said the Doctor. “Oh, it does explain where we are.”

Ancelyn’s eyes narrowed at the Doctor. “Are you a sorcerer?” he asked.

The Doctor beamed at him. “Indeed, I am,” he said. “I am Merlin, and this is Rose Tyler. We could use some assistance, you see. Rose has hurt her foot.”

Ancelyn looked at Rose, who smiled a little at him. “Very well,” he said still looking a bit suspicious of them. “Merlin did you say your name was?” he asked.

“Yes, but you can call me the Doctor, if you want,” said the Doctor.

“You’re a healer?” asked Ancelyn, sounding much more interested.

“If need be, yes,” said the Doctor. “Is someone ill?”

“How can you not know?” asked Ancelyn incredulously. “I thought the news of the King’s illness had spread far and wide.”

“Ah, you see Rose and I have only just arrived here,” said the Doctor.

“Oh, you are off-worlders,” said Ancelyn, nodding understandingly. “It must be your craft that we intercepted then. A blue box, wasn’t it?”

“You have it?” Rose asked, relieved.

“Oh yes,” said Ancelyn. “It was a precaution, you understand. You can have it back whenever you want. Will you be able to help the King though?”

“I’ll do what I can,” said the Doctor, smiling widely. “I have much better equipment aboard my ship.”

“Excellent, excellent,” said Ancelyn and then whistled shrilly. Two beautiful mares emerged from the bushes and stood before him. “Come along, then. You can get Lady Rose’s foot some proper attention too.”

“Thank you, Ancelyn,” said the Doctor gladly as Rose beamed at the knight. He helped Rose up first and then climbed up behind her. Because of the short skirt she was wearing, Rose chose to sit with both her feet on the same side, and was glad for the Doctor’s firm, reassuring hold behind her. “Lead on.”

As soon as they set off, Rose turned to the Doctor. “Wanna tell me what’s going on? _Merlin_ ,” she said, stressing the last word significantly.

“I have met Ancelyn before. In my Seventh life when Ace was still with me,” he explained in a low voice. “This is a parallel Earth where technology and magic have grown up side by side. Don’t let the medieval appearances fool you, they are a highly advanced civilisation.”

“Yeah, gathered that when he talked about spaceships and off worlders so casually,” said Rose. “Why Merlin, though?”

“That’s what he called me when he met me. He knew I could change my face, and that I had a ship that travelled through time and space. A most wonderful young man,” said the Doctor fondly.

“And they’re humans?” asked Rose, astonished.

The Doctor nodded. “They have an advanced telepathic sense, but they are essentially human,” he explained.

Rose was quiet for a moment. “So, if you are Merlin, then does that mean that the King is…?”

The Doctor grinned at her. “King Arthur, _the real King Arthur_ , yes,” he said and then nodded at her to look in front of them. They had emerged through the forest and were looking upon a magnificent town in front of them.

“No way,” gasped Rose, looking at the castle that stood tall and proud.

The Doctor beamed at her. “Rose Tyler, welcome to Camelot.”


	52. The Wizard of Camelot: Venenum

_Previously_

_“King Arthur, the real King Arthur, yes,” he said and then nodded at her to look in front of them. They had emerged through the forest and were looking upon a magnificent town in front of them._

_“No way,” gasped Rose, looking at the castle that stood tall and proud._

_The Doctor beamed at her. “Rose Tyler, welcome to Camelot.”_

Camelot was every bit as majestic and beautiful as the legends of her Earth had described. They rode through the lower town, towards the castle, and Rose looked around with wide-eyed fascination. The Doctor had been right; the medieval appearance were indeed just appearances. Beneath it lurked a highly sophisticated civilisation. 

She could feel the Doctor’s smiling gaze on her as she tried to soak in every bit of Camelot as they rode through it. 

“Not far now,” said Ancelyn, or Sir Ancelyn, as Rose knew he would most likely be called.

The rode through the gates of the castle into a large, sunny courtyard and came to a halt. A young squire ran towards Ancelyn, who disembarked quickly and handed over the reins of his mare to him. “Inform the Queen that there is a new healer on his way, Evan,” Ancelyn told the squire. “And tell Sir Percival that I have found the owner of the blue box.”

“Yes, Sir Ancelyn,” nodded Evan.

The Doctor hopped off the mare with surprising grace and then lifted Rose down onto the ground. She winced when her injured foot touched the ground, realising that the Doctor had never got a chance to numb the pain as he said he would.

“Do you wish to be taken to our court physician, Lady Rose?” asked Ancelyn in concern.

Rose shook her head quickly. “I’ll be fine,” she said, mustering up a small smile. “Really,” she added to the incredulous looks from Ancelyn and the Doctor. 

The Doctor shook his head and lifted her into his arms, cutting off her protests with a beseeching look. She huffed and looped her hands around his neck, feeling ridiculous as she was carried up the steps into the castle. Ancelyn led them up the stairway and into the main wing of the castle, and just like the rest of Camelot that they had seen before, the castle contained technological equipment that Rose had never seen the likes of before.

“In here,” said Ancelyn as he opened the grand double doors at the top of the stairway. 

Rose craned her neck and saw a large four poster bed in the spacious bedchamber. A blond man lay unconscious in the middle of it, while a dark-haired woman in a flowing red gown sat by his side, holding one of his hands between both of hers. She looked up when they came in, and Rose could see the exhaustion in her very bones and bags under her eyes.

“Ancelyn,” she managed a small smile when she saw him.

Ancelyn sank into a bow. “My Queen,” he said respectfully. He stood up and nodded towards the Doctor and Rose. “He claims to be a healer, my lady. May I present, Lord Merlin and Lady Rose.”

The Queen looked at them both curiously. “Forgive me if I do not rise,” she said. Her eyes drifted to Rose’s foot. “You are injured.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really,” said Rose hastily, not wanting to make a fuss.

“Ancelyn, fetch Renard to have a look at Lady Rose’s foot,” said the Queen imperiously.

“At once, my lady,” said Ancelyn as he bowed and left.

“Thank you, my lady,” said the Doctor, setting Rose down into an empty chair by the King’s bedside. “May I examine the King?” he asked politely.

She sighed and nodded. “You may try,” she said, sounding very much like she was trying not to get her hopes up.

Rose smiled sympathetically at her as the Doctor took off his coat and approached the King. The King was pale, and had visible dark circles under his eyes. The Doctor scanned him with his sonic screwdriver and then frowned.

“What’s wrong?” asked Rose, noticing the worry in his eyes.

The Doctor didn’t answer, but glanced at the Queen for permission who nodded. He gently pried the King’s mouth open and gave it a quick look. His frown became more pronounced as he closed the King’s mouth. “I need a mass spectrometer. I assume you have one in the castle?” he asked.

The Queen nodded. “Yes, of course,” she said and then nodded sharply at one of the guards who hurried off at once. “Have you discovered what ailment he is suffering from, Merlin?” she asked, feeling slightly more hopeful than before.

“I think so, yes,” said the Doctor. “I need to do a hair sample analysis to be certain, but I am positive that His Majesty has been poisoned.”

“Poisoned?” asked the Queen, incredulously. “But his blood has been analysed, and it showed no toxins.”

“I suspect that is because the toxin is a heavy metal. It would not show up on an ordinary blood analysis,” he said.

“Are you certain?” asked the Queen sharply.

The Doctor nodded. “His symptoms seem to match, not to mention these…” he pried the King’s mouth open again. “...black spots on his gums.”

The Queen peeked in and then sat back. “Can it be cured?” she asked.

“I will have to analyse the amount of poison in his system,” said the Doctor carefully. “Prolonged heavy metal poisoning is known to cause severe damage.”

The Queen fell silent at that, but they were interrupted as Ancelyn returned with Renard, the elderly court physician. Renard immediately knelt in front of Rose and started to undo the bandages on her foot. “Ah, a nasty rosebush, I gather?” he asked with a kindly smile.

“Yeah, rather ironic,” said Rose.

“Ancelyn,” said the Queen, her voice lighter than before. “Merlin knows what ails the King.”

“I will have to do a few tests to be certain,” the Doctor interrupted quickly, his eyes fixed on Renard’s work as he applied a poultice to Rose’s foot and bandaged it with clean bandages.

“But that is excellent news,” said Ancelyn, sounding just as happy as the Queen. “I shall inform the knights at once.”

“See to it that arrangements are made for Merlin and Lady Rose to stay here in Camelot as our royal guests,” said the Queen. 

“Of course, my lady,” said Ancelyn, and left quickly with a grateful nod at the Doctor.

Renard stood up, having finished treating Rose’s foot. “My lady, I must beg you to get some rest yourself,” he said to the Queen. “You have not left the King’s side for weeks.”

The Queen’s eyes narrowed. “I shall be by his side until he wakes, Renard,” she said stubbornly. 

“I must concur with Renard, if you don’t mind, my lady,” said the Doctor gently. “The King isn’t in any immediate danger. I shall stay here and perform my tests. If it is indeed what I think it is, I shall start treating him at once. Perhaps, Renard could stay and assist me.”

“I would be honoured, Merlin,” said Renard, his eyes shining. 

The Queen looked between them and nodded. “Very well, I shall retire,” she said. “But not until I show Lady Rose to her chambers and help her freshen up. How is your foot now, my dear?” she asked Rose.

“It’s great,” said Rose as she stood up. “Can hardly feel the pain,” she added with a quick grateful smile at Renard.

“Wonderful,” said the Queen. “I leave my husband in your hands, Merlin.”

The Doctor bowed to her. “He will be safe, I promise you,” he said, and glanced at Rose who nodded at him as she left with the Queen.

The guards brought in the mass spectrometer into the King’s chambers mere moments after the two women had left. The mass spectrometer was not as big and bulky as it would be in Rose’s time, but it still needed two guards to carry.

The Doctor pinched a hair sample from the King’s head, and turned to Renard. “Shall we?”

~

“It might be a little long, but it should fit well, I expect,” said the Queen as she handed Rose a delicate pink gown.

Rose took the silky gown with a bright smile. “It’s beautiful,” she said, and went behind the screen to change. “How long has the King been ill?”

“Few weeks now,” said the Queen. “I am ashamed to say that I may have begun to lose hope before you and Merlin had arrived.”

Rose peeked over the screen and smiled at her. “Don’t worry,” she said. “The Doc-Merlin, he’ll make sure to do everything to help the King.”

The Queen smiled back gratefully. “I feel hopeful already,” she said sincerely. “You call your beloved ‘the Doctor’?” she asked, almost as an afterthought.

Rose blushed a little. “It’s his name,” she said. “He has quite a few of them.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said the Queen with a nod. “Traversing the stars as you two do, I trust that you have both garnered a few names.” Rose’s eyes rose in surprise, and the Queen laughed a little and tapped the side of her head. “I may be tired, but I am still the Queen.”

Rose laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I suppose you are,” she said and emerged from behind the screen, dressed in the pink gown.

“Oh, you look positively beautiful,” said the Queen, smiling widely. 

Rose beamed at her. “Thanks,” she said.

There came a knock on the doors, and the Doctor entered moments later. “My lady,” he said, looking surprised to see the Queen.

“How is my husband?” asked the Queen at once.

“Resting, and asking for you,” said the Doctor with a smile.

“He is awake?” asked the Queen, her eyes wide.

The Doctor nodded. “He is still a little disoriented though,” he warned her. “Renard and I made a clay poultice in the tub and are keeping him submerged to draw out the metal toxins from his systems.”

The Queen gave a sob of relief. “Thank you, Merlin,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

“It was nothing at all,” said the Doctor modestly. “I was only too happy to help.”

“Do excuse me, I have to see him,” said the Queen. “Please enjoy Camelot’s hospitality, Merlin, Rose. We are all very indebted to you.”

Without waiting for their modest denial that she knew was coming, the Queen all but rushed back to her husband’s chamber. The Doctor smiled at Rose who grinned at him. “The King is going to be alright, then?” she asked.

“Yes,” said the Doctor. “I hope so, at least. He isn’t as young as he used to be, and healing takes time.”

Rose nodded and busied herself with trying to shake her partially dry hair from her ponytail. “So, what now?” she asked, combing her fingers through her hair.

“I have to go investigate the source of the King’s poisoning,” said the Doctor absently.

“He’s still being poisoned?” asked Rose, tucking the pendant under her gown’s neckline.

The Doctor nodded. “I need you to talk to Ancelyn, while I do some investigating of my own. Ask him if there have been any recent threats to the King,” he said.

“Sure,” said Rose and pecked his cheek quickly. 

“I’ll start down in the kitchens,” he said, smiling at her. “And I think Ancelyn’s squire may be able to help me.”

~

“Is everything to your liking, Lady Rose?” asked Ancelyn with a bright smile, when Rose walked up to him in the rose gardens.

“Yes, thanks,” said Rose, sitting down on a stone bench. “You really didn’t have to do that for us, you know. We could have slept inside our ship.”

Ancelyn shook his head at once. “Merlin has all but cured the King,” he said. “There is not a way that such an important debt goes unrewarded.”

“About that,” said Rose. “How exactly did the King get so ill?”

Ancelyn’s brow furrowed. “We are not certain,” he said reluctantly. “We had a signed a significant truce unifying the five kingdoms just days before he got ill. At first, we thought that he had simply collapsed due to exhaustion following such a monumental occasion.”

“Do you think someone might have done it deliberately to sabotage the truce?” asked Rose.

“Impossible,” said Ancelyn at once. “We have worked tirelessly for this peace, and no one will gain anything by poisoning the King. You do not have to worry, Lady Rose, I know exactly who poisoned the King.”

“Who?” asked Rose, looking wary at the way Ancelyn was gripping the handle of his sheathed sword. 

“Someone who wants the throne of Camelot for themselves,” he spat. “Morgaine.”

~

“Are you certain about this, Merlin?” asked Evan.

“Certain enough,” said the Doctor. “Do you remember what you have to do?”

Evan nodded, his curly brown hair flopping up and down at the action. He entered the kitchen, with all the confident grace of a squire. “Stop what you are doing and step up here,” he ordered sharply.

The kitchen staff looked surprised but obeyed him, albeit a bit suspiciously. “Is there a problem here, squire?” asked Neve, the main cook, crossing her arms in front of her. 

“Silence!” snapped Evan. “Lord Merlin is a sorcerer who comes from beyond the five kingdoms. Now, someone here has been poisoning the King.”

“Preposterous!” declared Neve as the staff looked shocked. “I assure you, squire, none of my staff would ever do such a thing. I demand that this matter be brought to Sir Ancelyn.”

“Lord Merlin is here at the behest of Sir Ancelyn and the Queen,” snapped Evan. “Now, you shall do as he says or suffer the consequences.”

“That will do, Evan,” said the Doctor as he entered the kitchens. “No need for threats,” he added gently, smiling at the staff. “I am simply here to find the culprit, nothing more.”

“And how will you do that?” asked Neve, narrowing her eyes.

“The King was poisoned using Maridium. It is rare and virtually undetectable unless you are looking for it,” said the Doctor. “However, Maridium has a nasty side-effect on the hands of the person handling it. I just need to see your hands and scan them with my...erm, wand,” he waved the sonic screwdriver at them. “If you are innocent, the results will tell me so. If not, well, then it is up to the knights and the Queen to see what is to be done.”

Neve eyed the sonic screwdriver, before looking back at the Doctor. “Will it hurt?” she asked.

“No,” said the Doctor reassuringly. “You won’t feel a thing.”

Neve nodded. “Fine,” she said. “Show him your hands,” she ordered her staff.

“Thank you,” said the Doctor as he started walking down the line, scanning each person’s hands. He got through most of them fairly quickly, none of them having any traces of Maridium on their hands.

Only three more remained, including Neve and two of the other cooks. The Doctor scanned Neve’s hands slowly. “Well?” she asked impatiently, when he was done.

“You’re clean,” he answered with a smile.

Neve nodded firmly, but before the Doctor could scan the remaining two men, one of them pushed the other into the Doctor and decided to make a run for it. Fortunately, Evan had anticipated this and had drawn out his sword, stopping the cook in his path.

“Baynard!” snapped Neve. “Why are you running?”

“Oh, I suspect it was because Baynard here is the one poisoning the King,” said the Doctor as he walked up to the man being held at swordpoint by Evan. “Aren’t you?”

Baynard sneered at the Doctor. “I don’t care what you do to me, Merlin” he spat. “I am loyal to Mordred!”

~

“Morgaine?” asked Rose curiously.

“She was on our side before she betrayed the King, and wanted Camelot for herself,” said Ancelyn. “The King was heartbroken. Fortunately, he met the Queen not long after, and he has not looked back ever since. Morgaine, on the other hand, has never given up hope of gaining Camelot for herself. Her magic is evil. Just like her.”

Rose nodded along to that information, hardly noticing when Ancelyn’s head snapped towards the castle. 

“Something’s wrong,” said Ancelyn. “I must see what has happened.”

“Right, yeah,” said Rose. “You go on, I’ll follow,” she added, knowing that she would slow him down if he waited for her. 

He nodded gratefully at her and took off into the castle. Rose gathered up her skirts and turned to follow Ancelyn, when she heard a small giggle from further down in the rose gardens.

Brow furrowing, she glanced around the garden which went on for several yards until the low wall led to the forest beyond. The growing darkness made it difficult to see, but Rose caught a glimpse of curly blonde hair among the trees beyond the garden wall.

“Hello?” she called, moving towards the wall. “Is anyone there?”

A little girl peeked her head out from the side of a tree, and giggled adorably. Rose laughed and stepped over the low wall towards her. “What are you doing here out so late?” she asked.

The girl didn’t answer, just giggled again and darted behind another tree. Rose chuckled in surprise and went after her into the forest. “You really shouldn’t be wandering off into the woods now, you know,” she called, hoping the girl would come out. “Your mum will be worried.”

The girl poked her head out from behind a bush, and giggled again, and Rose stifled a gasp as she realised that the girl looked very, very familiar. Before she could try and remember who she reminded her of, the girl ran deeper into the forest. With a sigh, Rose ran after her, hoping that she wouldn’t get lost.

“Hello?” she called again when she realised that the girl had all but vanished again. “Where did you go now?”

“She’s gone.”

Rose whirled around and gasped when she saw a beautiful, redheaded woman standing in front of her. She was dressed in grey knight’s armour with a golden crown on her head, and a rather sharp smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Who are you supposed to be then?” asked Rose, sounding a lot braver than she was feeling at the moment.

“I am Morgaine,” said the woman, her smile widening. “The once and future ruler of Camelot. And you, Rose Tyler,” she added as she touched Rose’s forehead, and caught her unconscious form before it hit the forest floor. “You shall come with me.”


	53. The Wizard of Camelot: Morgaine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter of the story before the sequel

_Previously_

_“Who are you supposed to be then?” asked Rose, sounding a lot braver than she was feeling at the moment._

_“I am Morgaine,” said the woman, her smile widening. “The once and future ruler of Camelot. And you, Rose Tyler,” she added as she touched Rose’s forehead, and caught her unconscious form before it hit the forest floor. “You shall come with me.”_

Rose awoke with a gasp and then groaned under her breath. Hazy memories of a little girl running off into the forest floated into her mind, and she sat up quickly, groaning again when the sudden movement caused her vision to sway a little.

“Do try and not move so much,” came a bored female voice and Rose snapped to focus at the sight of Morgaine sitting down quite calmly on an iron throne.

A quick glance at her surroundings told Rose that she appeared to be in an ordinary, derelict hut and Morgaine’s throne seemed quite out of place in this less-than-luxurious place. As if reading her thoughts, Morgaine rolled her eyes and stood up. With a wave of her hand, the throne disappeared.

Slightly startled, Rose jumped to her feet. That was when she noticed that her foot was no longer injured. 

“I took the liberty of healing it,” said Morgaine at her surprised look.

“Why?” asked Rose suspiciously.

She shrugged almost too casually. “It seemed as if it was hurting,” she said.

“Not what I meant,” said Rose, crossing her arms. “You lured me in with that girl and then kidnapped me. Why would you want to heal me?”

“I did not kidnap you,” snapped Morgaine. “You are a means to an end, Rose Tyler, nothing more.”

“Pretty sure it’s still kidnapping” said Rose with a shrug. “And who _was_ that girl?”

Morgaine raised her eyebrows. “You do not know?” she asked. “Curious, I picked her out from your memories.”

Rose wondered briefly if she and the Doctor had met any curly-haired blonde girls with blue eyes recently, but came up empty. She shook that thought away and focused on Morgaine again. “So, you brought me here for what exactly?” she asked, raising her eyebrows questioningly.

Morgaine’s lips tightened as if she hated what she was about to do. “I discovered today that...my son has been responsible for poisoning Arthur,” she said reluctantly.

“Your son?” asked Rose curiously.

“Mordred,” she said. “He thought he could...help me, by getting rid of Arthur.” She sounded furious despite her calm voice.

“And you don’t like it?” asked Rose incredulously. “Thought you’d be happy if the King died.”

Morgaine glared at her. “Of course not,” she snapped. “I would never sink so low as to do something as underhanded as poisoning my greatest foe. Arthur shall die by my hand and I shall look him in the eye as I take the Excalibur from his dying hands. His death will be on the battlefield.”

Rose listened with wide eyes. “So, you don’t want the King to die unless you kill him in battle?” she asked. “Well, you might get your wish. The King is being cured as we speak.”

Morgaine nodded as if she had known that already. “I am aware,” she said. “He was cured by your _Merlin_ ,” she spat the name like poison.

“Not a fan then, I take it,” said Rose. “Shouldn’t you be glad that he saved the King from dying?”

“I anticipate him to be quite the hurdle,” she said smoothly. “Yet I happen to know that _you_ are his weakness.”

“If you are gonna get him through me, I don’t think that’s very wise,” said Rose honestly.

“Quiet!” she snapped. “I could kill both of you quite easily, but it would be dishonourable to destroy something quite so powerful. Merlin’s magic is wonderful, the strongest I have seen in a while.”

Rose suspected that Morgaine was just musing out loud, and Rose had to fight back the sudden jealousy that swept over her at the gentle admiration in Morgaine’s voice when she spoke about the Doctor. “You think he has magic?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Not magic as your primitive brain understands it, Rose Tyler. His very aura is dark and powerful enough to rival mine,” smirked Morgaine. “Perhaps, I shall ask him to join me after all. He can even keep you to amuse himself.”

Rose felt anger and possessiveness grip her heart with a force that surprised even her. Wondering if it was the impact of the bond, or Morgaine was messing with her head somehow, Rose worked hard to keep her emotions under check though her fists clenched almost involuntarily.

“Then again,” continued Morgaine, seemingly unaware of the fuming Rose. “It would be quite easy to get you both out of my way. Mordred!”

Rose jumped slightly when a grey knight with long black hair emerged from the shadows, bearing a menacing expression on his face. 

“You are to guard Miss Tyler with your life until Merlin comes to her rescue,” she said. “You know what to do then?”

For a moment, his grip on his sword tightened and then he nodded at his mother. “I know, mother,” he said.

Morgaine fixed him with steely look. “You will do exactly as you have been told, Mordred,” she said sternly. “This time, there shall be no mistakes.”

“No, mother,” he said, sounding almost like a sulking child.

Morgaine stared at him for a moment, before nodding firmly and approaching Rose. Before she could try and retreat, Morgaine touched her fingers to her forehead, and Rose felt her own telepathic voice let out a blood-curdling scream for the one person who would be able to hear her with ease, regardless of where she was.

In Camelot, the Doctor’s head snapped up when he heard it. Fury seized his hearts and the thunderous expression on his face sent even the most hardened knights in his presence reeling back slightly. “Rose,” he muttered through white lips. “I’m coming to get you.”

~

Rose narrowed her eyes at Mordred, who was ignoring her completely. Morgaine had left a few minutes ago, after making sure that Rose was fine. It was off-putting to be used as bait, to say the least, and she was done being used to lure the Doctor.

She tilted her head towards Mordred and could practically feel his annoyance. He was being relegated to babysitting her after getting in his mother’s bad graces. That had to be quite the blow since he was apparently the Knight Commander of Morgaine’s forces.

Deciding to use that bit of information against him, Rose adopted her best bored expression. “So, what exactly are you supposed to be doing once Merlin gets here?” she asked him.

He glared at her and looked away. Rose hid her smirk and continued in her most insolent voice. “I mean, your mum couldn’t have asked you to kill us,” she said.

His glare intensified. “And why would you assume that, girl?” he demanded.

_Hook, line, sinker_ , thought Rose before she shrugged casually. “I mean, you’re not exactly in her good books, are you? No way she’s gonna trust you with something so important,” she said, watching him swell with anger. “Go on, tell me what she’s asked you to do. Bet she’s asked you to call her back here once Merlin is here.”

Mordred roared in anger and drew out his sword. “You will watch your tongue or I shall relieve you of it,” he said, pointing the sword at her.

Rose returned his gaze calmly. “I’m guessing your mum didn’t sanction that one,” she said, smiling infuriatingly at him. “I’m right, aren’t I? You’re asked to keep me safe and unharmed, and yell for mummy when Merlin gets here.”

Mordred sneered and for one moment, Rose thought he would run her through with the broadsword but he lowered his sword and sheathed it again. “I would not be so quick to mock me or my mother, girl,” he said, sounding almost gleeful. “The fate my mother has planned for you and your beloved Merlin is far worse than death.”

“Has she now?” came the Doctor’s voice and Rose felt relief flood her heart when she saw the Doctor standing calmly behind Mordred, who whirled around at once with his sword drawn. “Oh, put that away, Mordred, before you get a paper cut,” he said derisively, and walked past him to Rose. “You alright?” he asked her in a low voice, grabbing her hand with both of his.

“You know, same old, same old,” she said, smiling reassuringly back at him.

He smiled softly and leaned in to kiss her when Morgaine interrupted their reunion with her sudden appearance. “Ah, I was wondering when you’d turn up, Morgaine,” said the Doctor, as if greeting an old friend.

“You must be the infamous Merlin,” said Morgaine, appraising him with narrowed eyes.

“As I live and breathe,” said the Doctor with a short bow. “Now that you have me, I want to know what it is that you want with me.”

Morgaine smirked at him. “You came alone, I see,” she said. “There are no knights in the vicinity.”

“Oh, I thought the invitation was quite exclusive,” he said lightly, though his grip on Rose’s hand tightened. “Had I known the knights were invited…”

“Quiet!” snapped Morgaine. “Your place is not here, Merlin, and you reek of nothing but interference.”

“Interfere? Me?” he asked innocently, in a tone that convinced no one.

Morgaine ignored his quip. “I could kill you both quite easily, but as I told your beloved before, it would be quite the waste,” she said and raised her hand imperiously.   
Rose moved closer to the Doctor when she saw a golden ball of energy building in Morgaine’s grip. 

Morgaine smirked at them. “Therefore, I shall just send you away on a little trip. Careful, it might get a bit cold,” she added and fired the golden ball of energy at them. 

Rose closed her eyes instinctively as she felt her legs give out from under her. When she straightened up, she started shivering violently when she realised that Morgaine had transported her and the Doctor to the middle of an icy cave. 

“Antarctica, so unimaginative,” said the Doctor, taking off his coat and putting it around Rose’s shoulders.

Rose huddled closer into it gratefully. “Y-you kn-knew?” she asked, her teeth chattering.

He rubbed her arms to warm her up. “Yes, Mordred will mention this the next time he sees me,” he said. “Fortunately, I was prepared for it. Ah, here comes our way out.”

Rose smiled in wonder when she saw the TARDIS materialising in front of them. The doors opened almost immediately after the landing thud was heard, and Ancelyn poked his head out. “Your chariot is magnificent, Merlin,” he said, his voice full of awe. “Does it really traverse through all of time and space?”

The Doctor chuckled as he led Rose into the warmth of the TARDIS. “Yes, and I am glad you were able to pilot her so well, Ancelyn,” he said in a proud voice.

“Your instructions were clear, and your wand helped,” said Ancelyn, handing him his sonic screwdriver back. “So, what it is that we do now?” he asked.

“Now, we return to Camelot,” said the Doctor, his smile diminishing as he turned to the console. “I’m afraid Morgaine will not give up so easily.”

~

Unfortunately, it seemed as if the Doctor had been absolutely right in his prediction about Morgaine. When the Doctor, Rose and Ancelyn got back to Camelot, they were met with news of Morgaine declaring war on Camelot with her army of grey knights. Ancelyn had to leave the Doctor and Rose and rally the troops, as was his job as the Knight Commander of the King’s army.

The Doctor and Rose volunteered to take the news to the King and Queen themselves, but when they got to the King’s chamber, they were met with even more bad news. The King’s condition had worsened and he would not live to see the morning.

“Arthur, I am so sorry,” said the Doctor, watching the King who was sitting up in bed despite his weak state.

Next to him, the Queen was sobbing openly. Rose rushed to her side and grabbed her into a hug. Arthur coughed and tried to muster up a smile. “Do not be sorry, Merlin,” he said in a hoarse voice. “You did your best to heal me, and I only regret that our friendship did not last longer.”

The Queen’s sobs became worse at that and Rose held her tighter, feeling her own eyes fill with tears. 

Arthur watched the Queen with soft eyes. “Guinevere,” he said softly, waiting until she raised her head from Rose’s shoulder to look at him. “Please do not cry, my love.”

She sniffed and tried to stop the tears flowing from her eyes. “This is not how it should have happened, Arthur,” she said. “You were not supposed to leave me like this.”

“I know, my love, I know,” he said heavily. “We were supposed to be together for all eternity, and I am sorry to be leaving you alone.” He sighed. “Not only am I failing you, but I am leaving you behind to face my mistakes.”

“That horrible sorceress is not your mistake, Arthur,” said Guinevere firmly. “Camelot shall stand against her and will fight her for the rest of eternity if that is what it takes to defeat her. That, I do promise you.”

Arthur’s face softened with pride. “I know you will, my love,” he said, his eyes shining, despite the drowsiness that seemed to be enveloping him. “But this is indeed my mistake. My youthful indiscretions with Morgaine, and then my subsequent rejection of her made her hate me, and now that hate has led to war on Camelot.”

Guinevere took his hands into hers and kissed them. “We have all made mistakes,” she said, her eyes darkening slightly.

He smiled gently. “I forgave you a long time ago, Guinevere, as I hope you shall forgive me for this,” he said.

“There is nothing to forgive,” she said tearfully. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more than the sun and the stars, my Guinevere,” he said, his voice sounding weaker. “Help me lie down, Merlin,” he requested.

The Doctor, who had been surprisingly still during their conversation, quickly helped the King lie down on his back. Immediately, Arthur’s eyes sought him and Rose. “I owe you both my gratitude,” he said. “I only ask you to aid in Morgaine’s defeat, Merlin, Lady Rose.”

“Morgaine shall be defeated, Arthur,” said the Doctor firmly. “I give you my word.”

Arthur nodded slowly and then looked at his wife, who started sobbing again. “I-I think it is time,” he said, his eyes starting to close.

“No, no, no, no, please,” sobbed Guinevere, grabbing his hand but his grip slackened. Rose felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she gripped Guinevere’s shoulder comfortingly.

Outside, the sun rose on Camelot but King Arthur had already stopped breathing.


	54. The Wizard of Camelot: Le Morte d'Arthur

“Guinevere,” said the Doctor gently. The Queen did not look away from her husband’s body; in fact, it seemed as if she hadn’t even heard the Doctor.

The Doctor seemed to realise it too, and he looked at Rose for help, rather aware that they had a very short time to do everything that the Doctor knew he had to do. Unless they were very quick now, they would send the timelines spiralling out of control.

Rose saw the impatient look from the Doctor and sighed to herself before touching Guinevere’s shoulder gently.

Guinevere jumped rather sharply and looked up. “I have to send for Ancelyn. The Knights need to know, and there are arrangements to be…”

“Guinevere, stop,” said the Doctor gently. “Things are not that simple. Morgaine has declared war on Camelot and your kingdom. We need to be careful with how we proceed.”

“I am aware,” said Guinevere. “Our numbers are larger than Morgaine’s forces and we shall defeat her. I shall not dishonour my husband’s memory by losing to Morgaine,” her voice had taken on a fierce turn by the time she reached the end.

“You won’t dishonour him,” said Rose comfortingly. “Just give the Doctor a chance to explain, yeah?”

Guinevere took a few deep breaths and turned to him. “Well, Merlin? How do you suppose we ought to proceed?” she asked.

The Doctor nodded gratefully. “Morgaine is powerful, and even with lower numbers, she can cause a lot of harm. It will not help the morale of your knights and your kingdom if you tell them of Arthur’s death,” he said.

Guinevere’s eyes widened. “I can hardly keep it a secret!” she said, looking at him like he had lost his mind. “I-I cannot...Oh!” she exclaimed, realisation spreading across her face. “You speak of the time of restitution.”

“Yes,” said the Doctor, at once. “Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about.”

“What’s the time of restitution?” asked Rose curiously.

“It’s when King Arthur rises from the lake at a time when he is needed the most,” said the Doctor.

“But..” said Rose, trying not to be disrespectful and point out the obvious.

“The time of restitution is known among our myths,” said Guinevere with a sad smile at Rose. “Arthur would get dreams of being asleep under a lake. Merlin is right, I cannot tell the people that Arthur is dead. But I can tell them that he shall return when the time of restitution comes.”

“Thank you, Guinevere,” said the Doctor.

“I cannot lie to them forever,” she pointed out.

“You won’t have to,” he said earnestly. “I give you my word. Everything will work out as it should.”

Guinevere stared at his sincere blue eyes and nodded. “I believe you, Merlin, and I shall entrust you with my husband’s last rites,” she said.

He bowed to her. “I shall handle it with the greatest respect,” he said.

“What about Morgaine?” asked Rose. “She won’t just leave Camelot alone, will she?”

“Leave Morgaine to me,” said Guinevere. “She is my responsibility.”

“You don’t have to shoulder it alone, though,” said the Doctor gently. “I might have someone who will help you get rid of Morgaine temporarily, until she faces me again.”

“Who?” asked Rose, as Guinevere looked equally curious.

The Doctor just grinned and tapped the side of his nose.

~

Ancelyn moved his broadsword with well-practised ease as he fought three of the grey knights at once. He would not sink to their level and use energy weapons just yet. The battle on the field of Camlan was still tame compared to the battles that Ancelyn had seen before, but he knew that it would only get worse from here on out.

He defeated the three knights he was fighting and stalked off to find Mordred. He happened upon him just as he was thinking about the pleasure he would gain when he would crush his broadsword through the smug coward’s chest.

“We meet at last, Ancelyn,” mocked Mordred when he saw him approach. “I had heard of the inept knights of Camelot and I know why, now that I have seen you.”

“Fighting words for a mere boy who still snivels at his mother’s magic,” taunted Ancelyn, watching the scowl on his face with enormous satisfaction. “You needed to bribe peasants to poison the King, you dishonourable swine.”

Mordred glared darkly at Ancelyn and drew out his broadsword. “I am not a coward!” he roared. 

Ancelyn smirked and prepared to fight him when he felt a telepathic call from Merlin. He was staggered by how powerful Merlin’s mind felt to him, and he nearly lost his footing at the intense strength of the simple message which asked him, only him, to return to the palace at once. He could see Mordred waiting to fight him in single combat but the urgency of Merlin’s message could not be ignored.

With great reluctance, Ancelyn sheathed his sword, to the astonishment of Mordred. “I will not face you today, Mordred,” he said. “But by gods, I shall slay you one day.”

Mordred laughed at him. “Do you run from me, Ancelyn? Ancelyn the Craven, I should call you.”

It took enormous effort on Ancelyn’s part not to turn around and tackle Mordred to the ground. Forget the broadsword, he would use his bare hands to kill him, but he had his orders and he had to obey.

It was with a heavy heart that he returned to the castle. He found Merlin in the King’s chambers with the Queen and Lady Rose. It only took him a moment to realise the atmosphere inside the room was one of mourning, and he nearly stumbled as he gazed upon the King’s still form on the bed.

“No,” he whispered and knelt next to the bed. 

“I am sorry, Ancelyn,” said the Doctor gently.

“Ancelyn, the King has not left us completely,” said Guinevere, her voice strong despite the lie she was telling. “Merlin assures me that he shall rise when the time of restitution comes.”

Ancelyn looked at the Doctor with budding hope in his eyes. “Is it true, Merlin?” he asked.

“Yes,” he nodded. 

“Then, we must hurry,” said Ancelyn. “How can I be of help?”

“Good thing you asked,” said the Doctor with a small smile. “I need your help getting Arthur into my ship. I will keep him safe, I promise,” he added when Ancelyn hesitated.

“And what of Morgaine?” asked Ancelyn as he nodded.

“Ah,” said the Doctor and turned to Rose. “May I have that pendant, Rose?”

Rose’s brow furrowed in concern but she took off the chain around her neck with the ruby pendant and gave it to the Doctor. He, in turn, handed the pendant to the Queen. “Call for Morgaine and face her in the open. When the time is right, open the heart of that pendant and hold up the ruby to the sky. The mighty Baden shall rise and imprison Morgaine for twelve centuries.”

Rose gaped at the Doctor, and even the Queen and Ancelyn exchanged bewildered looks. The Doctor smiled reassuringly at them. “Just trust me on this one,” he said. “Now, let us get Arthur to my TARDIS.”

Getting Arthur into the TARDIS turned out to be quite simple, since the castle was mostly empty due to the ongoing war in the field of Camlan. People of Camelot were inside their homes, praying for the safety of their loved ones who were fighting Morgaine’s forces.

The Doctor asked for the King to be dressed in full armour, including the legendary sword, Excalibur. Rose was rather quiet as the Doctor made his requests and the Queen and Ancelyn hastened to obey them. She still wasn’t sure of how the pieces were meant to come together, or what the pendant was supposed to do, or who Baden really was.

Finally, the Doctor and Ancelyn had situated Arthur’s body inside the TARDIS. The Doctor gestured to Rose that they needed to leave fairly quickly and it only left time for a quick goodbye to Ancelyn and Guinevere, both of whom wished them good fortune and asked them to look after Arthur.

When the doors of the TARDIS had closed, Guinevere turned to Ancelyn and smiled tiredly. “Call for a ceasefire, Sir Ancelyn,” she said. “I do believe it is time I faced Morgaine.”

~

“So, you gonna explain?” asked Rose as the Doctor busied himself with the controls.

“In a moment,” he answered. “I need to navigate through to the home universe.”

“Is that even possible?” asked Rose, surprised.

“Not usually, no, since the Time Lords have sealed us away from the rest of the multiverse. But we did fall into this universe, so it means that there are still certain gaps in the walls dividing the universes,” he explained.

“And where exactly are we going?” asked Rose.

“Lake Vortigern, England, 8th century,” he said. “Hold on tight.”

Rose grabbed onto the metal scaffolding, but to her enormous surprise, the TARDIS moved seamlessly through the gaps and landed without a single hitch. “That was uneventful,” said Rose. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, better than okay, in fact,” said the Doctor, with some surprise.

“So, we should go outside, yeah?” asked Rose, excited despite herself that she was back in her own universe.

The Doctor chuckled a little. “Not unless you want to flood the TARDIS,” he said and showed her the monitor.

“Blimey,” said Rose, her eyes going wide. “We are under the lake.”

“That we are, Rose Tyler,” he said, grinning at the look on her face. “Arthur will sleep under the lake, remember?”

“We are not just gonna toss him out there, are we?” she asked, concerned.

“Of course not,” he said indignantly and took her hand, leading her deeper into the TARDIS. “Come, I’ll show you where Ancelyn and I put him.”

They walked down the hall and the Doctor opened the fifth door that they came across. To her greatest surprise, it looked like the interior of a spaceship, but with organic green walls instead of metallic ones. In the middle of the small room was a stone altar. Arthur’s head was resting on the altar while his body was positioned to be kneeling next to it.

Rose looked at the Doctor in shock. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“This is a ship,” he said unnecessarily. “Not exactly Time Lord in nature, but they did have a big hand in making it. It’s part organic, just like the TARDIS.”

“And what are we doing with it?” she asked.

“Leaving messages for myself and Ace to solve the other end of the timelines,” he said and drew out the Excalibur from his coat. He unsheathed the legendary sword and admired it for a moment. Then, he winked at Rose and stabbed the sword into the altar just next to Arthur’s head.

“Oh, you have to be kidding me,” said Rose as she saw the sword in the stone just like the legends had described.

He grinned at her and pointed at the hilt of the sword where a red gem was resting. “This is Morgaine’s tracking device that she implanted on the Excalibur when she first gave it to Arthur,” he explained. “This is how she will find her way here.”

“And what about this ship? We leave it under the lake?” asked Rose.

“Yes,” nodded the Doctor, drawing a thick parchment-like paper and a biro from his coat. “It’s organic, as I said, so it will continue to grow and fight off anybody else who might try and stumble upon it until Ace and I encounter it in 1997.”

“1997? Gosh, I must have been 11,” said Rose. “There really was an Arthurian fight at that time and I had no idea?”

The Doctor grinned a little. “UNIT did a great job of covering everything up,” he said and gave her the paper and biro. “I need you to write me a note.”

“What do I say?” asked Rose.

“ _Dear Doctor. King died in final battle. Everything else propaganda_ ,” he told her and Rose wrote it down quickly. Once she was done, the Doctor took the biro from her and signed his name at the bottom. “I think that is all we can do over here,” he said and stuck the rolled up parchment inside Arthur’s armour.

“Doesn’t seem right to just leave him like this,” said Rose, gazing upon Arthur’s form sadly.

The Doctor touched her shoulder in comfort. “He lived a full life and he ought to have died in battle as the legends described, but reality rarely lives up to the fantasy,” he said.

Rose nodded sadly and let the Doctor lead her out of the room. The door closed behind them, and the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to fiddle with a panel on the door. “I need to set the voice command,” he said to her questioning look.

He cleared his throat a few times and Rose jumped in surprise when it was his predecessor’s voice that came from his mouth. “ _Open up, it’s me_ ,” the Scottish voice said and the green light on the panel turned to red.

“There, that’s done it,” said the Doctor, in his normal voice much to Rose’s relief. “It will only open for me now.”

“How do we get it out into the lake then?” asked Rose but the Doctor just pointed as the door slowly started to shrink until it was all but invisible. In moments, it was as if there hadn’t been a door there at all, and the Doctor grinned triumphantly. “There, that’s done it,” he said. “Only one more thing left to do.”

“What?” asked Rose.

He held up the scabbard that had previously held the Excalibur. “We need to leave breadcrumbs for Ace and I to follow.”

~

“Face me, Morgaine!” called Guinevere as she stood proudly in the middle of Camlan, dressed in her finest armour. The Knights of the Round Table stood behind her, ready to defend her at less than a moment’s notice.

Mordred and the grey knights stood on the other side of the field, curious about what was to happen next. Morgaine appeared in a puff of smoke and walked to the middle of the field with a smirk on her face.

“You dare call for me, adulteress?” said Morgaine, looking at Guinevere with contempt. “You, who had a man more beautiful than the sun as your husband whom you betrayed?”

Guinevere swelled in anger but refused to rise to the bait. “Arthur is no more for now,” she said and she could hear gasps and exclamations of surprise from the soldiers and people around them. “He shall wake only when the time of restitution is upon us.”

Morgaine laughed cruelly. “And you wish for me to stop the assault on your precious Camelot until Arthur comes back?” she asked.

“If you leave now, then my knights shall not attack your force and defeat you, Morgaine,” said Guinevere evenly.

“You could no more defeat me than be a faithful wife, Guinevere,” said Morgaine contemptuously. “My army shall take Camelot by force. If it is a battle you want, it is a battle you will receive.”

“Remember, Morgaine,” said Guinevere as she drew out the pendant. “I did give you a chance.” She opened the gold heart encasing the ruby and held it to the sky just as Merlin had told her.

For a moment, it seemed as if nothing had happened and Morgaine opened her mouth to taunt Guinevere when a shadow fell upon Camlan. Everyone turned their gaze to the skies, and saw a large-winged creature descending towards them, the likes of which their Earth had never seen before.

“The mighty Baden,” said Ancelyn in awe as the creature flew over the field. It was enormous, with a wingspan large enough to cover a spaceship, and the most peculiar shrieking sound as its call. It circled the field a few times and then as if she was its favourite prey, it swooped towards Morgaine.

She tried to cast her magic at it, but to no avail as the creature encased her in its wings and vanished completely, taking Morgaine with it. Guinevere swelled in triumph and looked back at her knights.

“Defeat her forces,” she ordered and the knights as one drew their swords.

The final battle of Camlan had started.

~

When the TARDIS landed again, Rose was surprised to see that they had just moved from under the lake to the shore. “What are we doing?” she asked again.

The Doctor lugged out a small canister of what proclaimed itself to be insta-quick concrete that hardens in 1 microspan. He knelt to the ground and poured the concrete into a perfect square. Before it could dry, he drew some Gallifreyan symbols on it and the concrete hardened as soon as he had finished writing it. With a triumphant grin, he dropped the scabbard on it and covered it with dirt.

“A message,” he explained to Rose. “It says _Dig hole here_. The ship will grow and one day build a concrete passageway from the ship to here.”

“How can an organic ship grow concrete?” asked Rose.

“It adapts and replicates matter that it deems useful,” he explained as he stood up and dusted off. “I have no doubt that it first grew an organic tunnel but replaced it with concrete later.”

Rose nodded as they started walking back to the TARDIS. “And what about that pendant? What is it supposed to do?”

He grinned at her. “The pendant was accumulating the radiation you were affected by while you wearing it and the gold heart around the ruby was preventing it from infecting the web of time. Once Guinevere opens it, every creature in the vortex will be flying to it. My guess is, it would be a vortisaur that gets there first,” he said.

“Vortisaurs are those huge things that look like gigantic pterodactyls, don’t they?” asked Rose, remembering a story the Doctor had told her when he had ridden one of them bareback in his youth. 

“Exactly,” nodded the Doctor. “And once they got there, they would go for the oldest and the most temporally complicated person there.”

“Morgaine?” asked Rose.

“She is ageless and deathless,” he told her with a shrug. “They will not harm her, but they will keep her prisoner in the vortex.”

“For twelve centuries,” said Rose. “So, this Baden is a vortisaur?”

“That would be my guess, yes. I cannot be certain if that is what Mordred meant,” he said as they entered the TARDIS together. “Now, Rose Tyler, I do believe we have done everything that we had to here.”

“Think the Time Lords noticed this little excursion?” asked Rose. A mauve beacon lit up on the console, clear in their line of sight and they raised their eyebrows in unison. “Guess that answers that,” Rose muttered under her breath.

The Doctor pressed the switch next to the beacon and read the message quickly. Rose read it over his shoulder and her eyes went wide.

_One week._

“Does that mean what I think it does?” asked Rose.

The Doctor beamed at Rose. “It absolutely does,” he said, starting to fiddle with the console. “What do you say, should we go and see your mum?”

Rose nodded eagerly, before her smile dimmed a little. “Hang on, what about Fitz?” she asked.

“Oh, we’ll be back in the parallel world in a week and we can steer the TARDIS to the day he calls,” said the Doctor easily. “For now though, let’s see, Powell Estate, London, England, the 21st century.”

“We’re going home?” asked Rose, her eyes shining.

The Doctor beamed at her. “We are going home.”

~

The four weeks that Fitz spent away from the TARDIS worked wonders for his perspective. He spent the first week in New York, exploring the city and hitting up jazz bars in the area. On one of his jaunts, he met a group of British travellers on their way to San Francisco and decided to go along with them to see California.

The next week in sunny California was like a dream for Fitz. Places he had yearned to see for years were suddenly open for him to tour, and he hardly realised the time as he explored. He hitchhiked his way back to New York, meeting some fantastic people on the way, and some of the quite terrible ones. 

When he reached New York nearly four weeks after he had left the TARDIS, Fitz had made up his mind. He loved to travel and see new places, and the world that the Doctor had shown him made everything else pale in comparison. Death and sadness were parts of life, and they would be around whether he took a chance and dived into life or stood on the sidelines and just wasted away as years passed.

With a lighter heart than what he had four weeks ago, he stood on the same corner where the TARDIS had dropped him off and called the number in the phone. It rang twice before abruptly shutting down. Confused, he stared at the phone, wondering if he had used it properly or not.

But then he heard the sound of the TARDIS materialising, and he grinned and picked up his bag. The box materialised completely and Fitz halted in his steps when he saw that the police box was no longer blue, but black. Before he could think upon it any more, the doors opened and a man dressed all in black stepped outside.

“Ah, Fitz,” he said, his smooth voice sending shivers up Fitz’s spine. “So glad I caught you.”

“Who the bleedin’ hell are you?” asked Fitz, feeling his throat dry.

The man smiled, but his smile was cold and did not reach his eyes. “I am an old friend, Fitz Kreiner,” he said. His smile widened. “But you can call me, the Valeyard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next to come in the sequel 'Turn the Page'**
> 
> _"Rose Marion Tyler, where the bleedin’ hell have you been?” “Mum, I can explain.”_
> 
> _“So, are they ghosts?” “Yes.”_
> 
> _“This isn’t really Earth, is it?”_
> 
> _“Twelve Doctors in one place? I’m surprised the multiverse hasn’t imploded.” “Yet.”_
> 
> _“Just what we need again, the Master and the Valeyard teaming up.”_
> 
> _“Miranda means someone worthy of admiration.”_
> 
> _“Well, being married to Amy for five years will do that to me.”_
> 
> _“I have three days to make a case for your innocence? Easier said than done.”_
> 
> _“They’re saying the Time War has started.”_


End file.
